Doppelganger: The Hundred Year War
by Webdog177
Summary: One hundred years before Team Avatar, Fire Lord Sozin declared war on the other three nations. With the power of the great comet, he began a war on three fronts that lasted one hundred years. This is the story of the Hundred Year War as experienced by a Fire Nation general, an airbender girl, and one wanderer that may have much more to do with the war than anybody realizes.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Nickelodeon, as well as other parties own it. I don't any money from what I write. I do other things to make money... don't ask. I just write for fun. The cake is a lie.

A/N: This story takes place at the start of the Hundred Year War, in Autumn 0 ASC. It will be in multiple arcs. The first part will be the genocide of the Air Nomads, followed by the continuation of the Great War of the Fire Nation. I had always been interested in the period of time during the Hundred Year War so... since I had the idea rolling around in my head, I figured I'd try my hand at writing it out.

A/N^2: Also, I'm aware that isn't the greatest place for OC Fics. But, nevertheless, I chose to see what I can do with a _complete OC cast_. That's right. Aside from a few cameos by important individuals, the entire cast of Doppelganger is original. If you don't like OC fics, then don't read. If you do, though, and like complex storylines, you won't be sorry. ;~)

**Doppelganger: The Hundred Year War**

**Genocide of the Air Nomads saga**

**Chapter 1**

**xxxxxxXxXxXxXxXxxxxxx**

"General Kozlon!" The call came from a fair distance behind the tactical table. There were not many people in the room, so everyone heard. "The meeting will begin soon."

Kozlon, who was in mid-conversation with a sergeant about the recent raids by insurgents, faltered slightly in his query. After a moment, he began speaking again. "And what of the group out of Kanzei?" He asked the sergeant.

"Uh… sir?" The sergeant stumbled, throwing his gaze to the young corporal that had interrupted the conversation.

"My ears work fine, sergeant. I ask again. What of the Kanzei group?"

"Uh… well, the group has made continuous raids on outposts in the region, so nothing new as of late. But as for the future…"

The general nodded. "Thank you." He said as he heard footsteps approach from behind.

"General Kozlon!" Came the call again, louder this time. Kozlon waited until the footsteps came to a halt behind him before turning around slowly. He finished his turn and stood erect, staring down the young lieutenant before him. "Uh…" The lieutenant started to speak, but his voiced faded as he saw the look in the general's eyes. Kozlon stared down the young man, using a glare that forty years in the Fire Nation military earned him, and finally spoke.

"I would _appreciate_it, Lieutenant Azen…" He said loud enough for every soldier in the room to hear. "If you would not shout out information for everyone to hear. This is the Fire Nation military, not a street market." He narrowed his eyes at the younger man, who had stiffened in fright. "Do you understand me?"

The lieutenant swallowed and slowly nodded. "Yes, sir. I understand."

"Very good. Now, what do you have to say?"

Lieutenant Azen took a moment to collect himself, and resumed his military posture. "Sir. I came to report that a council will begin in a few moments. Fire Lord Sozin has called for your presence."

"Very good. Thank you." The general nodded and stepped toward the door. After a few paces, he stopped and turned back to the young lieutenant. "Lieutenant Azen, you may return to your normal duties."

The lieutenant snapped off a reasonable imitation of a proper salute. "Sir!" He called and turned around, making his way to another door on the other side of the large room.

General Kozlon took an extra moment to sweep his eyes across the barracks, lingering on each of the soldiers inhabiting it. This was the tactical barracks, so there were naturally only officers and tactical aids inside; on most days, as least. Today was a holiday, so the majority of the garrison was on leave. Satisfied that the barracks would do well without his presence, general Kozlon exited the room and began his walk to the royal war council chamber. Fire Lord Sozin had let it known to all the upper ranks of the army that he would tell them something today. Something that would change the world.

The thought came as something odd to Kozlon when he first heard the rumors. Surely, anything that big could not really be kept in such secrecy as to be kept from him, let alone anybody else in the military. But, if Fire Lord Sozin himself was planning something, then he could keep anything secret that he wanted. Kozlon was quite interested though, he thought as he turned a corner, nodding as two soldiers noticed his pass and saluted. He had always worked hard with the Fire Nation at heart, and was known far and wide as one of the top generals of the Fire Nation… despite his disability.

He masked a grimace at the thought. He never really thought of his situation as a handicap, as some of his officers and other generals in the army often whispered behind his back. If fact, he had long believed it was his disability that allowed him to concentrate fully on military tactics, warfare, logistics, and all the other fields of expertise the Royal Fire Nation Academy had to offer. He had been the academies youngest graduate in a decade, and had immediately joined the military afterward. Rising quickly through the ranks, Kozlon had made himself known throughout the upper echelon of the military and the royal house.

He eventually became the youngest general to ever stand among the Fire Nation military, and had been part of it ever since. His lips tugged into a soft smile. His wife and daughter were proud of him, even though it meant he was gone for long periods of time.

Kozlon finally reached the royal war council chambers and the door was opened by two soldiers, who saluted to him as he entered. Making his way towards the back of the room, he could see that everyone was there already. The other five generals were standing around the tactical table, their individual conversations halted by his arrival. Further behind the small group of men was the throne of the Fire Lord. The throne in this room was an almost exact duplicate of the throne in the royal chambers, the royal greeting room, as well as almost any other room the Fire Lord might be required to sit.

Atop the throne sat Fire Lord Sozin. As Kozlon approached the table, the Fire Lord came more clearly into view. His robes were a deep red, with golden embroidery glittering in the surrounding firelight. His aged face reflecting nothing as he watched Kozlon stand beside his fellow generals.

"Fire Lord Sozin. General Kozlon arriving as requested." Kozlon said and lowered his head in a respectful bow.

"Welcome, general." The Fire Lord said after a moment. His voice was stern and clear.

Kozlon stood straight in a military position and glanced around, taking note of who was at the meeting. Beside him was General Aizo, a relatively new general, but promising nonetheless. Further along the table were General Kenzo and General Enzo. Two brothers that were equally skilled at firebending as they were at being ruthless. On Kozlon's other side was General Oron. Oron was an extremely old soldier that had easily the most experience of any soldier serving in the army. Last, beside Oron, was General Li. Li was, as Kozlon often thought, the standard soldier. Nothing really stood out from him, and nothing really was poor in his performance. A middle-aged man, a mediocre firebender and tactician, Li had nothing that really made him special in the military. But, nonetheless, he was still a general with the experience to show for it.

Kozlon redirected his attention the Fire Lord Sozin, and stood at attention. Sozin took a long moment to eye Kozlon before taking a slow breath.

"As you are all aware of, the Fire Nation is the most prosperous nation in the land. We have military, culture, technology, and power. The other nations of the world; the Earth Kingdom, the Water Tribe, and the Air Nomads, have little or none of these." He swept his gaze around at each of his generals. "My wish is for the Fire Nation to spread its prosperity to the rest of the land. How would you suggest we do this?" He continued, clearly not waiting for a response. "By spreading our power to the other nations and forcing them to share in our prosperity."

A ripple of shock shot down Kozlon's back as he took in the Fire Lord's words. Forcing the other nations? Spreading the Fire Nation's power? Did the Fire Lord mean what he was suspecting?

"We, as a nation, have the duty to spread our power to the other, less fortunate nations. Do we not?" Sozin smiled tightly. "Even if they do not want us to."

Kozlon cleared his throat, earning a stern stare from the Fire Lord. "My lord… what you are suggesting… is declaring war on the other nations." He said evenly. "Is it not?"

Sozin's tight smile returned. "Yes. Of course. We are going to spread out power to the other nations by starting a war. A great war. A war that will encompass the entire world." He declared clearly. The silence that followed was long and suffocating. Kozlon risked a glance around at his fellow generals. Their reactions ranged from shock, to excitement, to confusion. He himself felt nothing but confusion.

General Oron was the first to break the silence. His deep, husky voice echoed in the large hall. "My lord, it is not our place to question you. But, I must make it known that the other nations are all powerful in their own right. The Earth Kingdom, for one, has a sizable force. It is much larger than our standing army. The Water Tribes, while not having many soldiers, are isolated and their land is generally difficult to navigate. The Air Nomads…" His voice faltered at a raised hand from Sozin.

"The other nations will not be a problem. I have an advisor that will elaborate." He gestured to the side of the room. The generals all looked where Sozin was indicating, and saw a shadow walking towards them from the unlit corner of the room. As the shadow closed distance, Kozlon could see that instead of one shadow, there were in fact two distinct figures approaching. The footsteps only confirmed his guess, and as the figures entered the firelight, he blinked in surprise.

Of everyone Kozlon expected, it certainly was not a girl no older than his own daughter. A young woman came into view. She looked to be at most twenty or twenty-one. Her attractive, oval face was framed perfectly by long, silvery hair that shimmered from the firelight. Her eyes, a bright silvery green, scanned the line of generals as she stepped to the Fire Lord's side. Beside her, another girl, seemingly the same age, shadowed the first. She had the distinct air and poise of a bodyguard, and a good one at that, Kozlon observed. Neither woman wore any armor to be seen. But their clothing and style clearly meant for them to be some sort of advisor.

"This is Sayuka." Fire Lord Sozin said. "She is one of my advisors. She and I have formulated a strategy that will finally come to fruition." He gestured for the young women, Sayuka, to step forward. "Sayuka, you may begin."

Kozlon focused his trained attention to Sayuka, and felt her eyes burn into his as she stared at him. It only lasted a moment, though. Her eyes swept away from his to look at the other generals in the line. After a few moments of silence, she spoke.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen. I am Sayuka Huoken." Her voice was soft, clear, and rang out around her. A shiver crept up Kozlon's back at the sound of her voice. "I will get right down to business, shall I? We will begin a war with the other nations of the world. The Earth Kingdom…" She gestured to the tactical map of the Earth Kingdom. "The Water Tribes… and the Air Nomads. To do this, we will employ no small level of tactical planning. We will utilize every part of our nation's power, and resources to achieve victory. In the end…" She took a few moments to sweep her hand across the entire tactical map. "Our nation's prosperity will encompass the entire world."

Her gaze fell on General Oron. "To your declaration of the other nations' power, I acknowledge that they are no small feat. But you forget, General Oron, that we have power that the other nations do not have. The size of the Earth Kingdom will crumble before the Fire Nation's might. The Water Tribes will eventually be reached by our flames. And the Air Nomads…" She clenched her hand into a tight fist, and slammed it into the map where the Eastern Air Temple was located. The table crunched in response to her hand. The generals all tensed reflexively. The girl, Kozlon found himself thinking, must be much stronger than she looks. "We will reach their _unreachable_ temple… and massacre them all." She finished in a cold whisper.

It was as if a waterbender has turned Kozlon's blood to ice. There was no way he had heard correctly. He opened his mouth and immediately found Sayuka's eyes fall on his. Only his extensive experience under pressure gave him cause to speak.

"My lady… I'm sorry but… massacre the Air Nomads?" He clarified. "They are pacifists. They mean no harm to anyone. Do you mean to ignore that and commence with genocide?" He didn't dare look to his fellow generals to gauge their reaction. Sozin was the one to speak.

"Yes, General Kozlon, we will kill them all." He stood up and stepped up to the tactical map, facing the line of generals. "As you all know, the Avatar has been born within the Air Nomads. He is the only one who can stand in the way of our plans. We will perform a fast and powerful strike to the Air Nomads, massacre them all, and continue our fight to the Water Tribes and Earth Kingdom."

Kozlon stood shock still, taking in what Sozin was saying. He was going to declare war on the other nations of the world! Not only that, but he was planning on committing genocide on an entire culture of people. The thought of it alone was enough to send a sickening feeling throughout his body. He was by no means a coward, nor was he against fighting for his country. But the thought of what the Fire Lord wanted to do was…

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. No; he was a general of the Fire Nation military. He had gone his whole life following orders to the letter and never failing. He had earned his place among the highest of the military's leaders. His loyalty would not waver now. Not now.

Fire Lord Sozin eyed Kozlon for a long moment, and then nodded to Sayuka. The girl cleared her throat and held her hands out before her.

"Now, I am positive you are thinking of how we can begin such a large assault on three fronts. The answer for how we begin lies in the sky." She smiled tightly. "Or… will be soon." Her eyes swept across the generals and back, carefully watching them. "Very soon, a comet will appear in the sky. This comet has been coming to our sky every hundred years, and for a length of time, the energy of the comet gives firebenders great power. Each firebender will gain the power of one hundred soldiers. It will be during this time we will begin our war."

"How long will this comet be in the sky?" General Aizo asked. A good question, indeed. If Aizo hadn't asked, Kozlon definitely would have.

"A matter of hours." Came Sayuka's simple response.

This time, the shock was clear in all the general's faces. Surely, this woman and the Fire Lord did not expect a worldwide strike coordinated in the matter of a few hours! The generals all exchanged glances with each other, their apprehension all clear to Kozlon. Obviously, they were all thinking the same thing. This time, General Li spoke.

"Are we to understand that we are to coordinate a massive force to strike all fronts at precisely the same time? During this… comet that will come?"

Sayuka's reply was cut off by the Fire Lord, who held out his hand in a gesture clearly meant for all the generals. "That sounded strangely like a general of the Fire Nation questioning his own military powers." He leveled his stern gaze as General Li. "Or am I just being sensitive?" Li, as average as he was, was smart enough to recognize a threat when he heard one. He bowed his head quickly.

"Of course not, my Lord. I-"

"What General Li simply meant to convey was understanding at our Lord's plan." Kozlon came to Li's support. "We in no way doubt the strength of our Nation's, or our Lord's, martial prowess. It was simply…" He thought carefully, thinking of the most tactful way to say what he wanted. "My lord's plan is clearly a large endeavor. We do not wish to be mistaken in our understanding."

Sozin nodded and smiled tightly. "Of course, General Kozlon, General Li. It is indeed a great undertaking." He turned back to Sayuka. "Continue."

Sayuka took a few markers from the tactical map. "We will start by dividing the brunt of our attack forces into three main armies. We will then place forces, led by chosen generals and aids, at specific locations to strike when the comet arrives." She placed a marker on the map. "First, here, on the eastern border of the Fire Nation." She placed another. "Then here, at the southern edge of the Fire Nation." Another. "Here, at the northern border. These three forces will launch a day before the comet arrives, and be in place to attack when it does."

One of the brothers took a step forward, not entirely hiding his eagerness. "Who will we attack first, my Lady?" Kozlon hid a grimace. The Brothers' Kenzo and Enzo had always been eager to please, and would happily go about it in any way possible.

"We will perform a pronged assault on-" Sayuka pointed to the first marker. "The western shore of the Earth Kingdom." She pointed to the other two markers, towards the north and south of the Fire Nation. "And we will take the Western and Southern Air Temples." Her gaze washed over the line of generals, taking a long moment at each of them in passing. "We will massacre them all. We will leave no airbender alive."

General Kenzo, who had stepped forward, stepped back in line, a satisfied smile on his face. Kozlon took a chance to lock eyes with General Oron, and saw the same look of apprehension in his face. It was nice to know he wasn't the only one.

Sayuka took the silence as cue to continue. "We do not have much time to harness the Great Comet's energy, so we will act quickly and decisively. If executed well, our initial strike will knock the other nations off balance, and never able to properly regain a proper foothold. We will keep pushing after the comet leaves, taking region after region. We will take the Southern Water Tribe, the Northern Water Tribe, the entirety of the Earth Kingdom, the Northern Air Temple, and finally-" She slammed her hand on the table, right where the Eastern Air Temple was located. The table crunched under her fist. "We will destroy the Eastern Air Temple. We will be as fire engulfing the forest of the world." She did not have to raise her voice. Everyone heard her clearly as if she was screaming at the top of her lungs.

The Fire Nation was really going to declare war on the other nations of the world. The thought alone sent another shiver of fear down Kozlon's back. Just what _was_ Fire Lord Sozin's goal with this?

General Oron stepped forward. "My Lady, my Lord, just to clarify." He gestured to the table. "We are to divide our forces and begin an attack on three fronts. One, travelling through the north. One, the south. And the last, spearheading through the middle into the Earth Kingdom. Am I correct?"

"Yes, General Oron. You are correct." Sozin nodded and placed both hands on the table. "We will begin the preparations immediately. The war…" He smiled, the skin around his eyes tightening. "Will begin in a week."

Each general gave a crisp salute. "Yes, my Lord!" Came the unison shout.

"Good. Sayuka will be overseeing the preparations for the attacks to come. She will coordinate the assault forces, and select who will lead them." He nodded to each general. "As of now, you all answer to both her and I. You are all dismissed."

With another salute, the line began to break up. Each general began their short journey towards their preferred barracks or place of interest. Kozlon caught Oron's eye, a clear indication of the need to talk. Nodding his head towards the doorway, Kozlon made his way with Oron following.

"That was… certainly a surprise." Oron began as they exited the room. Kozlon slowed his steps until he matched his pace with the older man's. "Sixty years, I have been a part of the Fire Nation military. In all that time, I have never been part of a war against all three nations at once." Sixty years, thought Kozlon as he walked besides his comrade, was a very long time. Longer than even him, who had been with the military for a sizable forty years. "Of course, I cannot say I did not see it coming." Oron continued. "The Fire Lord has had his sights set on expansion for the past… oh… I would have to say… fifteen or twenty years."

"Mmm…" Kozlon grunted. It was true. Ever since the incident with Avatar Roku, Sozin had spent more and more time with the military and his aides, as if he was preparing for something. Maybe this war he sprung on them was what he had planned for so long. And the women he had never seen before… Sayuka, was it? "Who was that girl?" He found himself asking.

Oron shrugged. "I had never seen her before. I assume you have not either?" Kozlon shook his head. "No… well, if she is indeed as aide of the Fire Lord, I assume we have no place to complain. We only follow our orders."

"Even if it means committing genocide?"

Oron stopped walking and turned, looking outside the hallway into a courtyard covered with cobblestone. A few servants were carrying small barrels filled with something seemingly heavy. "That part is what concerned me most. I know our Lord has his… eccentricities… but I would have not thought him prone to order genocide on an entire population. Our orders of complete extermination don't seem to extend to the Earth Kingdom as much as they do the Air Nomads. That… might be our new war advisors idea in and of itself…" The older man trailed off as Kozlon stepped beside him.

After a moment of silence, he turned to Oron. "You, my friend, are the only other person I can speak frankly to. I must tell you that I do not feel comfortable with this." Oron returned his gaze and sighed.

"I know, Kozlon. You are, without a doubt the most clever among us. Even with your… disability-" He smiled sardonically. "You have still outstripped us in every way on the battlefield. I trust your judgment and your views. However…" He turned his attention back outside. "We must follow our orders. It is how our life works."

Kozlon nodded heavily. "Yes. Yes, you are correct, Oron. I may not like it but… It is our duty."

Their conversation was brought to a halt when another voice rang out behind them.

"Well said, gentlemen. I can see why you two are the most successful commanders in the Fire Nation." Kozlon, momentarily forgetting his years of discipline, whirled around in shock. His embarrassment lessened a bit with the knowledge of Oron spinning around just as quickly. Behind them stood Sayuka, her silver hair shimmering lightly in the light from outside. Behind her, slightly to her side, stood the same female bodyguard as before. It was all Kozlon could manage to snap off a salute.

"My lady! I-we-"

"Do not worry, General." She chided, a small smile on her youthful face. "No harm meant or received. Outside of the royal chambers or tactical offices, treat me as an equal." Kozlon and Oron exchanged a look, and relaxed their stances noticeably. Oron was the first to recover his speech.

"To what do we owe the pleasure, my Lady?"

"I simply wanted to spend some time getting to know the ones who would lead the attacks on the other nations." She looked from Kozlon to Oron, and then back to Kozlon. "General Kozlon, may I have some of your time? I wish to speak with you about the initial preparations and introduce you to some of my attendants."

Kozlon felt himself nod and stand up a little straighter. "Of course, my Lady. Whenever you wish." Sayuka smiled widely and gestured down the hallway, clearly indicating him to follow her. Kozlon started to walk, but turned back to Oron and snapped off a salute. The older man returned the gesture, and made his way in the opposite direction. No words were needed at that point.

**xxxxxxXxXxXxXxXxxxxxx**

"So, I have heard much about you."

Sayuka led the way with Kozlon in tow through the many hallways of the royal palace. Kozlon kept up with her pace easily, periodically glancing back at Sayuka's bodyguard, who was walking a short distance behind them.

"What have you heard, my Lady?" Kozlon asked, somewhat interested to know the extent of what this girl was aware of.

Sayuka giggled. It was an odd sound to Kozlon, but seemed fitting, considering her age. At least, what age she looked. "Please, call me Sayuka. I prefer it."

Kozlon cleared his throat stiffly. "With all due respect, I would prefer to abstain from any undue attention should that call for." Sayuka sighed and shrugged.

"As you wish, General." She rounded a corner and nodded to two guards. They opened the large door behind them, and Sayuka pushed forward. "I have a few things to talk with you about, if I may."

Kozlon followed and found himself in a reception hall. This particular reception hall was part of the guest mansion, attached to the royal palace. This girl was apparently staying in this part of the palace. "Of course, my Lady. I shall answer whatever you wish."

Sayuka reached a large seat and gestured to another seat facing hers. "Please." She said to Kozlon.

"After you." He returned. Sayuka sat down gracefully. She waited until Kozlon took his seat before speaking again.

"Bring us something to drink."

Kozlon blinked for a moment, thinking the order had been for him. But, the body guard stepped up to Sayuka and bowed.

"Something to drink. Anything else you require, mistress?" The girl asked. Her voice was low and crisp; sultry, even. Her shoulder-length brown hair covered her face as she lowered her head.

"And fetch Nagao. He should be here." The girl stood straight, as if to leave. "Oh! Yes. You may as well bring Sukal." The bodyguard eyed Kozlon for a moment, and then walked off without another word. Sayuka was silent for a few seconds, and then took a deep breath. "Well, let us just start with the introductions. I am Sayuka Huoken. I am an aide to Fire Lord Sozin. I will be the main advisor of the invasion forces."

Kozlon nodded in understanding. He had known that much already.

"And you, General… are Azar Kozlon. Graduated at fifteen from the Royal Academy, excelling in many different subjects. Joined the military right after, and quickly rose through the ranks attaining the title of general at twenty-five; the youngest ever in the history of the Fire Nation." Her eyes narrowed. "A fine accomplishment… even for one unable to firebend."

Kozlon locked eyes with the girl. Of course she had found out. It was the most often talked-about topic when he was discussed among his peers. His_disability_ was nothing but the inability to firebend. Many had told him as he was in school that, as a non-bender, his career in the military was decided before he even joined. However, even with everyone against him, he proved that his inability to firebend did not hinder his actions. In fact, not spending his attention on firebending allowed him to focus on other fields and become one of the best tacticians and military leaders in the army. And he was not about to let a girl, let alone one so young as this one, to-

"But do not misunderstand me, General. I am not discrediting you." Sayuka continued, derailing Kozlon's thoughts. "In fact, I applaud you. Not many could accomplish as much as you. Especially those as handicapped in the military. Not only did you succeed where many have failed, but you succeed with colors." She smiled lightly. "If only some people had the motivation you must have had… many things would be different in this world." The way she said that seemed as though she was remembering something. Kozlon opened his mouth to voice his questions when the sound of footsteps interrupted him.

Kozlon looked behind Sayuka to see her body guard return, a jug and cups on a tray in her hands. Two young-looking men followed behind her. Sayuka gestured to the table. The bodyguard placed the tray on the table and stepped back to her position after pouring a dark red liquid into the two cups.

"Thank you, Ikiryo." She said, and then looked shocked as if something suddenly occurred to her. "Oh! It absolutely slipped my mind. General, this is my escort; Ikiryo." She waved her hand in the general direction of her body guard. The girl simply nodded minutely. "And the two men she fetched…" She began. The two men stepped forward on either side of her seat.

On her left was a tall man, with long black hair. His height and hair length made hm seem much taller than he probably was, surmised Kozlon. But, what made him slightly uncomfortable were the man's eyes. The man looked no older than twenty-five or thirty, but the look in his green eyes was that of a much older man. The look in his eyes gave away the understanding and the experience of an aged warrior. He felt as though if he looked into the man's eyes, he could understand everything about Kozlon at a single glance. It was an extremely uncomfortable feeling.

On her other side stood a completely nondescript man. Nothing really stood out about him. He was average height, and a little on the thin side. He even slumped a little. His skin was a darker complexion than himself or the older man, insinuating that this man was perhaps not from the Fire Nation originally. He looked, at first glance, to be perhaps a little younger than the taller man. But when Kozlon looked into the man's eyes-

He involuntarily felt a shiver crawl up his spine.

The man's eyes gazed back at him with a coldness he never saw before. He knew at once, this man was a killer. He was not a soldier like he or Oron, or even Kenzo and Enzo. He was a murderer.

"These two… are more of my personal escort." Sayuka continued. She gestured to the taller of the two. "First, is Nagao. He is my personal aide and advisor." Kozlon locked eyes with Nagao. So, he thought, even advisors have advisors. Nagao bowed to Kozlon politely. "And this…" Sayuka gestured to the other man. "Is Sukal." Kozlon nodded to Sukal. After eying the general for a moment, his nod was returned.

"You have an interesting escort, my Lady." Kozlon remarked before he could guard his words. The girl laughed brightly and nodded.

"Yes. I get that a lot." She took a cup and took a sip. Kozlon followed her lead, grabbing the other cup. "Now, I wish to take this time to brief you on your role in the upcoming war. As you were told earlier, the main force of the army will be divided into three fronts. The northern front, the southern front, and the eastern front." She gestured to Kozlon with her cup informally. "I am intending to you to lead the southern forces."

Kozlon blinked a few times before drawing breath again. "You want me to lead the southern army again the Southern Air Temple, massacre the airbenders there, and then continue to the Southern Water Tribe and the south of the Earth Kingdom?"

"I want you to wipe out the Southern Air Temple, yes." Sayuka narrowed her eyes. "But I do not want you to take the Southern Water Tribe yet. You will continue from the Southern Air temple, leaving a garrison there, and make your way towards the Eastern Air Temple. Alone the way there you will make coordinated strikes are different locations in the Earth Kingdom while Generals Li and Aizo attack from the north of the continent and Generals Kenzo and Enzo attack from the west. When you reach the Eastern Air Temple…" She placed her cup on the table. "You will destroy it."

Kozlon closed his eyes in thought. Theoretically, the plan was sound. A strike planned to begin when firebenders were at the height of their power with the comet they were told was coming. But was that assuredly going to occur? That would be one issue. After the initial strike wiped out the Western and Southern Air Temple, they would push to the west, north, and south of the Earth Kingdom. As the push got far enough, the Northern and Eastern Air temples would be in reach to also destroy. Not only that, but leaving a strong garrison at the Southern Air Temple will assure that any retaliation from the Southern Water Tribe will be noticed at once. But why did the airbenders have to be thoroughly destroyed? That was another problem he had to find out. Finally-

"What of General Oron?" He found himself asking. "Generals Kenzo and Enzo are attacking on the eastern front, and Generals Li and Aizo from the north. I am attacking from the south. What of General Oron?"

Sayuka blinked rapidly, not unlike a small animal, and smiled. "Ah yes. I had forgotten. He will be accompanying you on the southern front." Kozlon opened his eyes and nodded. The girl seemed to forget many things.

"I see. I have a couple more questions, if I may, my Lady?"

"Of course." She said.

"You spoke of a great comet that will come and give the firebenders in our army great power. Is that true?" He asked. Sayuka sighed lightly and nodded.

"Yes. It comes every hundred years. You may look up the star charts and other documentation in the archives if necessary."

Kozlon chewed at the inside of his cheek thoughtfully. For a royal advisor, this girl was certainly easy to handle and forthcoming with information… when she remembered it, at least. It was odd, from his perspective. He would have though a personal advisor to Fire Lord Sozin would have a more… commanding attitude and presence.

"Then, I have one more question. Why do the Air Nomads have to be completely wiped out? Genocide… while I do not go against the nation's interests or my orders… genocide is a large step to take… even for war."

The smile on the girls face cracked just noticeably. She stared unblinking at the general for a long moment, and then visibly relaxed. "Because of the Avatar." She said simply.

Kozlon blinked in confusion. The Avatar? Surely he-

"He was reborn into the Air Nomads after Avatar Roku passed away 12 years ago. The Avatar is the only one who would stand between the Fire Lord and his plans to spread the Nation's power around the world. Therefore, the Fire Lord has decided to take measures to ensure that the Avatar cannot hinder his plans."

The explanation was simple. Sayuka had said that with a level expression as if she was telling the general about her life.

"But… _killing_ the Avatar will simply cause a new one to be born-" Kozlon began.

"Ah, no. I see the misunderstanding." Sayuka's smile returned. "We do not intend to kill the Avatar. We will capture him to halt the Avatar cycle. The plan of massacring the Air Nomads is the quickest way to draw him out." She shrugged. "And if we happen to wipe out the Air Nomads along the way… it means more of a victory for the Fire Nation, does it not?"

Kozlon was stunned. He could not believe that this plan came from Sozin. But if Sayuka, Sozin's advisor, said this was what he willed…

"I… understand." He said stiffly. He did not agree with the war that would happen whether he wanted it or not. But he was a soldier. He would follow his orders. Just as he always did. "I will lead the southern forces." He said, standing at attention.

Sayuka smiled and stood as well. "Good. The southern front is in good hands with you and General Oron."

"Shall I tell General Oron the plans?" Kozlon asked.

Sayuka waved her hand in front of her face in a very feminine gesture. "No, no, no. I will discuss it with him later. You are free to go."

Kozlon bowed and turned to exit the room.

"Oh! That is right! Before you go…" Her voice rang out again. Kozlon turned back and straightened.

"My Lady?"

She gestured back to the shorter of her two escorts, Sukal. "Sukal will join your detachment as an advisor, a lieutenant, and my voice. At least, until I change my mind." She narrowed her eyes to the general. "When I am not present, he speaks for me. Am I understood?"

Kozlon locked eyes with Sukal. The younger man stared back silently. There was something in his expression that the general absolutely did not like. He was certain that the two of them would never get along. With a curt nod to Sukal, he turned back to Sayuka. "Yes, my Lady. I understand."

Sayuka beamed a wide smile. "Excellent. I knew there was a reason I liked you. You may return to your wife and daughter for today. Tomorrow… we have a war to plan."

With another crisp salute, Kozlon turned and left the room.

**xxxxxxXxXxXxXxXxxxxxx**

A/N: Well here we go. Off to a good start. Very ominous _ Ooooh...


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: See chapter one

**Doppelganger: The Hundred Years War**

**Genocide of the Air Nomads saga**

**Chapter 2**

**xxxxxxXxXxXxXxXxxxxxx**

Meiyun shuffled her way through the large hallways of the Western Air Temple as quickly as she could while still appearing dignified. She knew it was unbecoming of her to rush, as she could see from the slightly bemused expressions on her sisters she passed by. But, she could not help it. She was excited. After all, it wasn't every day that she was specifically called on to greet a guest to the temple.

The call had come as a surprise to her. After her morning meditations, she had eaten breakfast as usual. She had started to make her way to the temple archives, as was where she spent the majority of her time, when a sister called for her. She was to go and meet Sister Yuanli; the Mother Superior of the Western Air Temple.

Not wasting any time, she had gone to Sister Yuanli's chamber to hear what the older woman had to tell her. The news of having a non-airbending guest was shocking in and of itself. Few people that were not airbenders were able to make it to the Air Temple. Even more shocking was the fact that Meiyun was charged with collecting the arrival and escorting him during his stay. She was the designated archivist of the Western Air Temple. Why such a job was given to her, she did not know.

She had explained this to Sister Yuanli, only to be waved off with a smile. The old woman had simply said, "You are the best suited to the task to escorting this guest, Meiyun."

She had never been able to say no the older woman, and so she postponed her daily organizing and compiling duties in the archives to go and meet the temple's guest. Even as she walked with purpose, her thoughts were scattered. She had just gained her airbending mastery status the previous year, just after her eighteenth birthday. There were much more older, wiser, and… well… more _coordinated _nuns and monks that could escort a guest around.

So why her?

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she came into view of the main courtyard, where their guest was supposedly waiting. It didn't take long to spot him. There were a few different nuns and one visiting monk meandering around the courtyard. There was only one person who stood out. The only person not in airbending robes was a young-looking man. Average height, he stood with a particular gait as one shorter than he actually was. At first glance, it looked as if he was unconsciously trying to keep himself from being noticed. His light brown hair and lighter complexion didn't help matters any. He wore a simple travelling tunic with a pack slung over his shoulder.

What made his stand out the most, however, was not his clothing or his stance. It was the sword attached to his waist. It wasn't as though Meiyun was unfamiliar with weapons, or that she believed they had no purpose. But, the airbenders were pacifists, and did not use any weapons. The presence of a weapon in the temple made her a little nervous.

Taking a deep breath, she rid herself of doubt and stepped forward, causing the stranger to turn and look at her. His light blue eyes fell on her equally blue eyes, and he eased into a soft smile.

"Good morning, sister." He said politely, nodding his head into a bow. "I thank you for coming to greet me."

"But of course." Meiyun smiled and bowed as steadily as she dared. She had never been very graceful or coordinated. She was not about to blow it now. "Sister Yuanli wished me to escort you around the temple for the duration of your stay. If you require anything, please ask it of me."

The smile on his face slid up to his eyes. "Thank you, sister. May I know your name?"

"I am Sister Meiyun. I am the archivist of this temple."

His eyebrow lifted in surprise. "The archivist, is it? How interesting. How is it one so young is a master as well as the temple's archivist?"

Meiyun felt her cheeks warm. "Well, I am not quite sure, actually. I have always liked organizing and reading." She smiled guiltily. "So… yes. After passing the thirty-six levels of airbending and achieving my master status, I inherited the role of archivist." She turned slightly back towards inside of the temple. "Shall we…?" She faltered, suddenly very embarrassed. "Oh! I am sorry. I do not know your name."

"Kaale." He answered with sardonic smile. "My name is Kaale. Please." He nodded behind her, and they set off at a steady pace towards the temple.

"So…" Meiyun tried to break into conversation with Kaale. "We don't often have visitors to the temple. I mean, visiting non-airbenders." She corrected herself with a nervous smile. The young man matched pace with her easily. She tried to watch his face out of the corner of her eyes. His profile was different from the airbending monks that she had seen before. It was more… sharp… defined. That was a good was to put it, she thought. "The Western Air Temple is one of the two temples that houses strictly females. The Northern and Southern Air Temples house the males. So, aside from visiting monks in their training, we don't get many strangers."

Kaale nodded quietly, to show he was listening. She took it as a sign to continue.

"Have you ever been to any of the other temples?" She asked.

The young man thought for a moment, then shrugged lightly. "A few times. I travel a lot and visit many places. I have been to the Fire Nation, Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, and the Air Temples. You talk a lot, do you know that?" He smirked at the girl.

She felt her face warm again and she lowered her head between her shoulders as deep as she could, mumbling an apology.

"Do not worry." Kaale laughed softly. "I am only teasing you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them of me." Meiyun blinked and relaxed her neck. Something about the way he talked was odd, she thought. But it put her at ease nonetheless.

"Then, if you insist, may I know what brings you to the Western Air Temple?" The two of them rounded a corner, passing by another couple of airbending nuns who stopped to stare at the new arrival with wide-eyes. Meiyun tried hard not to laugh. Kaale wasn't bad to look at, after all.

"Hmm… a good question." He mused, touching his chin with his index finger. "I myself do not know. Sister Yuanli sent a summons to me. How it actually found me, I will never know." She snorted and held his hands out helplessly. "I will never understand how you airbenders can use the wind to send messages."

Meiyun nodded in understanding. While she was not familiar with the technique, apparently the best airbending masters could use the wind to send messages to each other. Avatar Yangchen had invented the technique when she had been alive. She heard it had something to do with the spirits, and asking them for help with the message, but she was not clear of the specifics. "So she called for you?" She asked.

"Mmm…" Came the response.

Meiyun took the hint and fell silent. Maybe it was best not to pry. If he did or did not know, it was not her business to ask. He was certainly on the mysterious side, she thought. But then again, she did not know many people from outside the Air Nomad society. Maybe everyone was like this.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Kaale walked off into an adjoining hallway. He turned his head in midstep to call back to Meiyun. "Would you mind if we took a short detour en route to Sister Yuanli?"

The girl blinked rapidly, but shuffled back to Kaale's side. "Uh-um… of course. But, the only thing down this hallway is the shrine to Avatar Yangchen."

"I know." Kaale said quietly.

Meiyun nodded quietly and kept pace with the young man beside her. He had apparently been to the temple before, she realized, if he knew where Avatar Yangchen's shrine was. She did not remember ever seeing him or hearing of a visitor matching his description, however. Maybe it had been a long time ago.

Soon, they reached the doorway leading to the shrine. Meiyun stepped ahead to open the door. "Allow me, Kaale." She said and grabbed the door, opening it.

Inside the room sat the large statue of Avatar Yangchen. It was easily four stories high, and towered in the shrine it was built in. It depicted the airbending Avatar in meditation, as most airbenders did. Kaale stepped into the large hall and walked in front of the statue. Meiyun followed him into the hall and shut the door behind them.

Meiyun bowed before the statue and sent a small prayer to the Avatar, as she always did. Was surprised her, was the fact that Kaale gazed up at the statue with a strange look on his face. She stared at the young man in front of the statue, somewhat bewildered. He was obviously not an airbender, and yet he had still come here before anywhere else, and was paying his respects to the long-dead Avatar. He stood very still for a few long minutes, staring up at the statue's face. Meiyun stood there, waiting patiently for him to finish paying his respects. Finally, after what seemed like a long time, Kaale stepped up to the statue. In a slow movement, he pressed his hand to his lips and then placed his hand to the statue's base.

Meiying felt her face tighten, but tried her best to act naturally. She had never… _ever_ seen that before. Monks, nuns, travelers had never touched the statue before. Aside from cleaning, she wasn't sure if they were even allowed to touch it. But, as Kaale turned back to her, she figured that he had his reasons. Maybe his family had been helped by the Avatar before or something similar.

"You look like her." His voice shook her thoughts back to reality.

"Huh?"

Kaale gestured to the towering statue. "Yangchen. You look like her."

Meiyun blinked a few times and felt a smile creep across her features. "Thank you."

"Shall we?" Kaale asked with a soft smile. He nodded to the door.

"Of course." Meiyun replied.

**xxxxxxXxXxXxXxXxxxxxx**

When Kaale and Meiyun entered Sister Yuali's chambers, the older woman smiled as if she had seen an old friend. For all Meiyun knew, maybe they were.

"Why, if it isn't Kaale." She smiled and brushed her hand through her dark hair in mock embarrassment. "Come to pay a visit to an old woman, have you?"

Kaale laughed and strode forward, bowing lightly. "If I did not visit you, who would?"

Meiyun stepped to the side of the doorway to wait patiently. Kaale looked up from his bow to see Yuanli beaming at him. She held out her arms in a welcoming gesture.

"Come on, Kaale, like you miss me." Kaale smiled and caught the old woman in an embrace. Many things were surprising her today, Meiyun found herself musing. The young man was certainly very interesting. He must have come here previously, to be so familiar with the old airbending master. "It has been too long." Yuanli said softly, stepping away from Kaale.

Brushing his hand through his hair, he smirked lightly. "It has. You are looking well, as always."

"Oh, stop." Yuanli smiled, waving her hand in front of her face. "I'm much too old for your flattery." She gestured to a simple seating area beside them. "Won't you sit down? Mei, you may come and sit, as well." She called a little louder to get the younger airbender's attention. Meiyun nodded and maneuvered her way to a low cushion, setting herself. Kaale sat on a cushion himself after setting down his pack and removing his sword from his waist. He placed blade in front of him on the ground.

"So, I assume you did not call me to come here and flatter you." Kaale said with a soft smile.

The old woman sighed and shook her head. "No, you are correct. I do have information for you that is extremely important." Her lips tugged into a smile. "Although I was about to call you here for a visit anyway. I found it a good opportunity to take care of both at once."

"Of course. I am sorry it took me a long time to visit again." The young man held up his hands apologetically, a then let them fall to his lap. "So, what news do you have?"

Yuanli let her eyes sweep to Meiyun and for a moment, she opened her mouth as if to say something, but thought better of it. She returned her attention to Kaale. "Well, first and foremost. We, that is the Western Air Temple's Council of Elders, received word that… the Avatar has disappeared."

The look on Kaale and Meiyun's face was that of identical shock and confusion. The Avatar was well-known to be an airbender from the Southern Air Temple. Aside from the normal news that traveled between the temples, nothing was out of the ordinary. At least, Meiyun thought, as far as she knew.

"What do you mean, disappeared?" Kaale demanded, his face tight.

"Well, not much is known about the circumstances of his disappearance." Yuanli explained. "He was to move to the Eastern Air Temple to complete his airbending training. However, he had since then disappeared, with his bison, from the temple. No one knows where he has gone." Her face turned serious. "Do you happen to know where he disappeared to?"

Kaale shook his head. "No. Of course not. I have never met the Avatar." Meiyun caught his gaze for a second, before he returned to Yuanli. "Well, that is a problem. I hope he is found quickly."

The old airbender nodded and sighed again. "Unfortunately, that makes this next development much more complicated." Kaale and Meiyun both looked at Yuanli, waiting for her to speak. "The winds has told us that the Fire Nation is moving. Their armies are advancing on us and the other nations."

Meiyun felt her hearth jump into her throat. The Fire Nation? The army was moving? Did she mean that they were going to attack them? She swallowed against a suddenly dry mouth. She swept her eyes to Kaale, who had a stony expression on his face, and then back to Yuanli.

"Advancing on whom, exactly?" Kaale demanded.

"There is a force departing by boat to the Earth Kingdom. There are also two separate detachments…" She closed her mouth for a moment, choosing her words. "Two separate detachments going to the Southern Air Temple and… here."

Kaale swore quietly. "Ah… I'm sorry." He muttered. Yuanli smiled and shook her head.

"Quite alright."

Meiyun, even if she wanted to say something, could not even open her mouth. The news was too shocking. The thought of the Fire Nation moving against the other nations was too frightening. If they were able to make it to the temple… what was going to happen to them? What would happen to her? Suppressing a shiver, she forced herself to pay attention to the conversation going on in front of her.

Kaale visably chewed on the inside of his cheek and a few moments. "How long would you say we have?"

Yuanli held up two fingers. "Two days. They have already departed, or so we believe. The Southern Air Temple sent out a few gliders to check the distance from them. The distance seems the same as to us. We believe they are meaning to strike us at the same time."

"Have you told anyone else in the temple? What about the other elders here?" Kaale whispered loudly.

Yuanli held her hand out to Meiyun. "Aside from the other elders in the temple and Sister Meiyun here, no one knows yet. I wanted to know your opinion before taking action of any kind." Kaale nodded, and rubbed his chin in thought.

Meiyun blinked and clenched her hands into fists nervously. What exactly made Kaale so special, if Sister Yuanli found his council so important as to bring him in and tell him what was going to happen? He, as far as she knew was not a bender or a soldier. The two of them knew each other, obviously. But how much did he know about the situation? Could he help in some way? The flurry of thoughts and ideas flying through her head made Meiyun rub her forehead roughly.

"Alright…" Kaale sighed heavily. "How large is the force coming?"

Yuanli smiled and held out her hand to Kaale. The young man nodded. With a slow motion, he held out his hand and clasped the old woman's in a soft grasp. For a long moment, the two were silent and still. Meiyun blinked a few times, looking back and forward between the two's silent exchange. What exactly was going on? The girl quickly realized that she was in way over her head, trying to understand what was happening. It would be much more productive to ask for details later.

After what seemed like a few solid minutes, Kaale and Yuanli broke their contact and returned to their original positions.

"I understand." Kaale sighed and bowed his head.

Yuanli cleared her throat and tucked a strand of hair that had strayed from the rest. There was a pink tint coloring her ears, Meiyun noticed, that hadn't been there before. "Yes, well… Those are the details." She breathed. Her voice noticeably softer. "I want to hear your opinion before I bring any action to the elders for debate."

Kaale glanced at Meiyun. His eyes seemed to say that he didn't want to discuss anything in front of her. But, as she had been present for everything until then, he seemed to abandon the idea. "We need more time. Two days is not enough. If the Fire Nation is indeed moving on the other nations, we need to consolidate our defenses to properly fight against them."

"You know we can't do that, Kaale." Yuanli sighed. "We do not fight. The Air Nomads are pacifists."

Kaale's eyes narrowed. "Tell that to Yangchen. I am certain she would have disagreed with that."

"Avatar Yangchen is dead. We are passive. We do not have weapons to defend ourselves with."

"And that is precisely why the Fire Nation is moving against the airbenders first!" Kaales voice rose as his eyes narrowed to a glare. He shrank back immediately. "My apologies." He voiced, looking at the ground.

"You have nothing to apologize for. I agree with you. But the others may not. I just want to hear what you have to say. I have always valued your opinion." The older woman smiled at Kaale. "If you and I both explain, the elders may be convinced that in the face of destruction, defending ourselves is prudent."

Nodding, Kaale picked up his sword by the scabbard. He stood up and clicked his tongue. "If the airbenders do not defend themselves, you will all die." His voice was low and deadly. He looked from Yuanli to Meiyun. The girl felt a shiver crawl up her back as she returned his gaze. At once, she knew.

She did not want to die.

"I know. Then we must go and convince the other elders." Yuanli said. "We will discuss this with them at once. She stood up slowly, waving off Kaale's hand he offered. "Sister Meiyun, you will accompany us to the elder's hall." Meiyun forced herself to nod, even though her body felt numb.

"A-alright."

Kaale stepped towards the door and re-attached his sword to his waist. "Shall we go?"

**xxxxxxXxXxXxXxXxxxxxx**

Meiyun's mind was a whirlwind of confusion as she obediently followed the pair to the elder's hall. Too many things had been thrown out for her to hear. She had not been prepared for any of it. She had just woken up expecting a normal day spent reading and organizing her scrolls! Instead, she had been called to hear, not even entirely sure it was meant for her, the news of both the Avatar's disappearance as well as the Fire Nation's advance. She didn't dare speak as group walked, taking the other's silence as cue to keep her mouth shut.

Wanting desperately to return to her duties, she considered asking to be excused. The idea died stillborn as she realized that, because she had heard the exchange between Yuanli and Kaale, she was a party to whatever it was that was going to happen. Sighing to herself in defeat, she swallowed her fear at the avalanche of powerlessness that assaulted her and trudged on through the halls.

Soon, they reached the doorway to the elder's hall, and Sister Yuanli stopped in front of it, turning to face Meiyun and Kaale.

"Now, we were all made aware the situation yesterday. The council of elders was, at least." She glanced at the younger airbender sympathetically. "Unless decided, you are not to tell anyone else of what you hear. Understand, Mei?"

"Y-yes." Came the stammering response.

Nodding, Yuanli turned to Kaale. "Now, I bade them to hold off on making a decision until the winds told us more. We cannot wait any longer. If we wait any longer, it will be too late. You must convince them."

Meiyun opened her mouth to ask why the elders would be convinced by him. The young man was a stranger; not a monk, not an airbender, not the avatar. As a matter of fact, she found herself thinking, just who was he? The older nun looked at the young man with an expression of deep trust and expectation. Just who was he to have gotten that level of trust? Who was he to her?

"Why would they listen to me?" Kaale narrowed his eyes, a look of apprehension written all over his face. Meiyun sighed inwardly and shut her mouth, glad that she didn't have to ask the question.

"Because you can be very persuasive when you want to be." Yuanli smirked, a knowing look on her aged face. Meiyun blinked, confused. What exactly did she mean by that? "I trust you, I always have. The others will as well. Ready?"

Kaale took a deep breath and nodded. The old nun looked at Meiyun, who bowed quietly.

"Then let's go." She said and opened the door to the chamber.

The hall was small, considering it was the meeting area for the Western Air Temple's Council of Elders. There was a single large opening, letting the outside sunlight stream in brightly. Numerous scrolls and painting of flying bison littered the walls. At the back of the room, the other two elders sat on cushions, their conversation was ceased at the entrance of the new arrivals. Yuanli, followed by Kaale and Meiyun, approached the line of elder nuns. Gesturing for the others to take a seat before the elders, Yuanli continues to the back of the room, and took a seat in between the other old nuns.

"Sister Meiyun," Began Yuanli, speaking in a formal tone. "Please introduce our visitor to our Council of Elders."

She was sure, because of his familiarity with the temple and of Sister Yuanli, Kaale most likely knew the other elders already. But, she obeyed with a small bow. "First, is our representative to the Council of State and Government, Sister Kuan." She gestured to the nun to the right of Yuanli. The old woman had a shock of white hair falling down her back. Her blue master tattoos were faded with age, but still shone on her slightly wrinkled forehead. "Our, representative to the Council of Religious Authority, Sister Diaoxin..." She gestured to the other nun, who looked much younger, but had extremely short, grey hair. "And, last, we have the Mother superior of the Western Air Temple, Sister Yuanli." She finished, and bowed to all three elders. Kaale followed suit, bowing to each individually.

"Together, we are the Western Air Temple's Council of Elders." Sister Diaoxin spoke, locking her eyes on Kaale. "Now, we assume you know of what is to befall us. Or you would not have been brought before us. Who are you?"

Meiyun sat up strait, surprised. So, the other elder nuns _didn't _know him…

"My name is Kaale Isan. I am an old acquaintance of Sister Yuanli. She summoned me immediately after hearing the news." Kaale said, sweeping his eyes down the line of nuns.

"Then, tell us Kaale, what do you know?" Sister Kuan elicited, holding her hands out before her.

"The Avatar disappeared. At the same time, the Fire Nation mobilized its military to strike at the other nations. One force is going to the Southern Air Temple, where the Avatar was. One force is moving on the Earth Kingdom. And finally, one force is coming here."

Nodding, Sister Kuan's eyes lingered in the young man. "That is correct. The winds have told us that the Fire Nation will reach us in two days, the same time as the Southern Air Temple and the Earth Kingdom. It seems as though the Fire Nation will begin a war with each country except the Water Tribes. But as to why…"

Kaale shook his head. "No, they will take the Water Tribe as well. It will just take them longer. The Water Tribes are isolated and far away from other nations. They will secure the surrounding areas to strike from, which may take a very long time depending on the situation, and then strike them."

"How do you know their plans?" Sister Diaoxin asked, confusion written on her round features.

Kaale was silent for a moment, thinking of his answer. "It is what I would do."

Both of the other elders turned their attention to each other, as if communicating with nothing but their eyes. Yuanli cleared her throat and held her hand towards the Kaale.

"Kaale, do you think the Fire Nation will indeed attack us? And if they do, what would you have us do?"

"It is hard to say…" He said slowly. "There is no other reason why their armies would be moving, so I would have to say it is likely going to happen." He bowed his head. "If it does, the airbenders will be in grave danger. You must prepare to defend yourselves. I know you are pacifists, and by custom, do not fight… but if forced, I implore you to fight back." Lifting his head again, he stared at the elder nuns. "Please. You must prepare yourselves."

The elders were silent for a few minutes. Periodically, they looked to one another, to Meiyun and Kaale, and then to the floor. Meiyun, for all she had been through this morning, was doing better than she had thought she would. But, as she thought about the fact, she became very concerned. If the Fire Nation army did show up at the temple… could she fight? Could she defend herself from death?

She had attained airbending mastery, and had successfully passed the thirty-six levels of airbending… but it had taken her quite a long time. It had always seemed to her that the masters had expected more out of her than anybody else. She understood why… but it just never seemed all that fair to her. Her parents had apparently been very powerful airbending masters in their days. However, being part of the Air Nomad culture, they had never really spent much time as a family. The Air Nomads were a collective order of monks and nuns. Because of this, the concept of family, while familiar to them, was not traditionally practiced. When her parents died as a young girl, she remembered being sad. But, as she was raised by the community of nuns and monks, she was never alone.

As she got older and was taught airbending, she had been known as the 'clutz' of the nuns. She could airbend just fine. In fact, when in the right frame of mind, she excelled at airbending. She had, at times, been far superior to her classmates and fellow airbenders even older than she was. Those were rare times, though. Most times, she would have a staff pushed into her hands and her clumsiness would take over, ending with a nice bump on her forehead for her trouble. She had done exactly as her masters had told and shown her. She had copied their gestures and forms exactly. But practically every time she did, if felt _wrong_. She would miss a step or lose her balance, falling over dramatically with her robes flying over her head.

Thus, after finally getting through her thirty-six airbending forms, she decided to stay away from airbending and became the Temple's archivist. She would never have to do much airbending that way. She would get to stay out of everyone's way. She would never have to fight.

So, when the thought of fighting, even to defend herself, sprung into her mind like a chipmunk squirrel… she hesitated. Could she even try?

The elders' voices brought the young airbender's thought back to earth.

"-too much to do, and little time to do it." Sister Kuan was saying, looking and Yuanli. "We do not have many nuns here, and just a few visiting monks. Even our bison herd is small."

Diaoxin leaned forward gracefully. "True. However, even If the force coming here is extremely large, it will take them time to reach us. And even longer to overtake the temple. We could hold out while we send for assistance."

"How long do you think we can hold out until help arrives?" Yuanli put in.

Kaale thought for a few moments. "The Western Air Temple lies underneath the edge of a cliff. The gives you the advantage of position… at least," He added. "Until they figure out how to get underneath the cliff or scale the wall from underneath." Shaking his head, he sighed. "As for how long… I do not know. It depends on the skills of the general leading them."

Meiyun released a breath she didn't know she had been holding. At least they could hold out a little while longer.

"What about the Southern Air Temple?" Asked Sister Kuan. "They are on the top of a mountain, impossible to reach without bison." Kaale gave a hollow laugh.

"I hate to be the one to tell you, but bison are not the only way to get to that temple. We can only hope the Fire Nation will take longer to find that out."

Another minute of silence passed before Yuanli nodded.

"Very well. I think we know what course of action to take." She tilted her head towards Sister Kuan beside her. "Kuan, you will gather the nuns and monk to tell them of the approaching storm. Try and keep them peaceful, if at all possible." She looked at Diaoxin. "Diaoxin, if you would be so kind, go to the stores and check on our supplies with a few nuns. Food, water, materials we could use… anything." With that, she turned her attention back to the young man in front of her. "Kaale, I would ask something of you… as a friend."

"What would you have me do?"

"I want you to take Meiyun and go to the Southern Air Temple. Go there and help them if possible."

Meiyun's back stiffened. She wanted her to leave the temple? Leave when it was possible the temple would be overrun and destroyed? Run away…?

Kaale voice leaked past the suddenly ringing sound in her ears. "What madness is this? I should stay here and help against the assault!" His tone rose sharply.

"You could, yes." The older woman reasoned. "But your skills could and _should_ be used elsewhere. Sister Meiyun is the archivist of our temple, and as such, she is charged with the history of our people. She cannot stay here. If she does, and the worst should happen, then our temple's history is lost." Her voice was even, steady, and firm. A first, Meiyun noticed, against the young man before her. "You need to protect her."

Kaale looked over his shoulder to the young airbender behind him. He stared at her for a long minute, carefully looking at her face. With a growl, he turned back to the elders. "Very well." He said softly. "I will take her in my charge. You said you wanted me to go to the Southern Air Temple?"

"Yes. You two should have enough time to fly there by bison before the Fire Nation army finds a way up the mountain. When you get there, you may meet with-"

"Monks Pasang, Tashi, Gyatso, and the other elders of the temple, yes." Kaale nodded.

The other elder nuns exchanged looks, clearly surprised at his knowledge of the other temple's elder monks. Yuanli ignored their confusion and pressed on. "Good, you remember. Meet with them when you get there. Pasang and Gyatso should remember you. They will know how to proceed."

"When do I leave?"

Yuanli glaced at Meiyun. "Sister, how long will it take you to preserve the archive, gather your things, and depart?" The younger women stammered in surprise. Too many things were happening for her to keep up. Books were so much easier.

"U-um…" She croaked. "About half a day…"

"Very well." Yuanli nodded and stood up, the other elders followed her example. "Kaale, accompany Sister Meiyun as she prepares to leave. When you are ready, go to the bison pen." She bowed deeply, causing Meiyun to bow even lower. "Until then."

Kaale returned the bow to each elder, and turned to Meiyun, his face impassive.

"Let us go."

**xxxxxxXxXxXxXxXxxxxxx**

With shaking hands, Meiyun tried her best to secure the scrolls and texts in the archives. She had been taught the proper methods of preserving the most important parts, but now, for the life of her, she could not remember how. Kaale assisted her by moving what scrolls she told him to, and hid them away in the deepest part of the archives. She didn't even have time to ask any questions, she was moving so fast. Even if she could slow down enough to talk, she had too many questions to ask at one time.

What was going to happen to the airbenders?

What was going to happen to the temple?

Who was Kaale?

How did he know so much about the Air Nomads?

How did he know what the Fire Nation was going to do?

How did he know Sister Yuanli?

Dozens of questions raced through her head as she carried scroll after scrolls around the large hall. She was so conflicted and rushed that she barely had time to cry out as she tripped over a chair. She braced for the pain of falling, but was surprised when she found herself held up by the young man's arm. He had rushed over to catch her; rushed over from over ten meters away!

"H-how?" She stammered. Kaale glared and lifted her back up to her feet.

"Are you not an airbender?" He chastised harshly, causing a frightened feeling to well up in her chest. "Watch your step." With that he whirled away towards a large stack of paper on a table.

"Sorry…" Meiyun mumbled quietly to herself. Apparently, it wasn't quite enough to go unheard.

"What?" Kaale looked back over his shoulder.

The airbender felt her face heat up. "I said I'm sorry!" She was surprised at her own tone. "Sorry I'm clumsy! Sorry I got pushed onto you! Sorry I-I…" She felt her heart pump heavily in her chest. "I don't know!" She cried and threw the book she was holding on the ground. "This is too much!"

Kaale turned fully around, his angry look wiped from his face.

Meiyun took that as a clear message that she could now speak her mind. "The Avatar! The Fire Nation! War! Leaving the temple! You! All of this is too much! I don't know what to think! I woke up this morning like a normal day!" Her voice, she noticed, was loud and shrill. "And then you come here… I had never seen Sister Yuanli act like that! Then the Avatar is gone, the Fire Nation is coming and I don't know what is going to happen! I was just pulled along like… like… Ahh!" She cried out and flung her hands at the nearest table, blowing a torrent of air at it. The table overturned, causing books, scrolls, and paper to fly up into the air with a gust of wind.

Meiyun stood there for a few quiet moments, breathing heavily. Kaale simply stared at her, a strangely curious look on his face. After steadying her heartbeat, the airbender sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. It has been a stressful morning." With that, she walked over to the upturned table and righted it, picking up the books that fell.

"You are clumsy?" Came the question. Meiyun looked up to see the same humorous smile on Kaale's face. She couldn't help it. Meiyun snorted a laugh.

"Clumsy? Yea, to say the least."

"But you are still an airbending master. You cannot be all that clumsy." He said, pointing to her forehead.

Meiyun picked up the books and put them back on the table. "Oh… you would be surprised. I got lucky on my thirty-six forms. And I had to take the tests…. three times."

Kaale chuckled. "Well, you still passed, did you not? I would say then, you aren't all that clumsy." He walked over to her and picked up a few of the scrolls that had fallen during her rant. "You just need to concentrate, and let the feelings flow. Then you can do anything." He took the books she was holding from her grip and smiled again. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to snap at you. It is a lot to take in."

Meiyun felt her ears burn and she turned away. "Don't worry. I just have many questions, but no time to think about them."

She heard the young man's voice from the table behind her. "Well, take your time and ask when you can think of anything. Until then, let us finish up and prepare to leave. Alright, Sister?"

Meiyun turned back after picking up another book. "Mei. You can call me Mei."

**xxxxxxXxXxXxXxXxxxxxx**

The sun was setting when Kaale and Meiyun arrived at the sky bison pen. It had taken longer than she had thought; to preserve the records in the archive. Apparently, there had been much more documents worth saving and protecting than she remembered. But with Kaale's help, they had moved all the documents, scrolls, and texts into the safe room. The safe room was essentially the deeper part of the archives that was harder to access. It would not stop anybody really determined though. The temple had been designed and built under the impression that being attacked by an army was highly unlikely.

After finishing, the pair had returned to her room. Kaale politely waited outside while Meiyun gathered her things. Her staff, a couple sets of robes, a few scrolls and texts that were too important to leave at the temple, were all gathered and put into her pack. Lastly, she picked up a bracelet from under her pillow. The bracelet was her family keepsake. It was old, but extremely well made. It was made with beads of polished oakfern and strung together with sky bison hair. It was her favorite possession. If she was to leave, and maybe never come back, she had better not forget it.

After finishing with her room, she rejoined Kaale and set out to find many of the nuns rushing around the temple. Sister Kuan had obviously told the temple of what was going to happen, and she had never seen so much activity in the halls before. The nuns all but ran past each other, either rushing to complete their duties, or just trying to calm themselves down. The few monks fared no better as they shuffled around the temple halls, debating whether or not to risk returning to their own temples.

"Mei!" A pair of nuns called out as Meiyun and Kaale came out into the courtyard. The three girls dashed to each other and held hands. "We heard you are leaving the temple!"

Meiyun glanced back at Kaale, who nodded and stepped away. "Yes… the Council has ordered me to seek refuge at the other temples in case the… in case the worst should happen."

One of the girls gasped sharply. "So it's true! The Fire Nation really is coming? Oh no!"

"What can we do?" The other asked, clearly frightened.

Meiyun clasped their hands tightly. "Listen to me, sisters." She knew she had never been the strongest or the bravest girl in the world, or even the temple for that matter. But, if she could help them even a little, she would do her best. "You will be just fine. The Fire Nation is coming, yes. But they will not be able to get to the temple. I am only leaving as a precaution. Just follow the elder's lead and you will all be perfectly fine. Alright?"

The girls stared at each other for a long moment, but seemed satisfied. "Just be careful, alright?" One of them told Meiyun. They looked past her towards Kaale, who was waiting with his arms crossed. "We heard someone was going with you. Is that…?"

"Yes, he is an old friend of Sister Yuanli's. She trusts him a lot. I should be safe with him."

The two girls exchanged looks and smiled.

"He's cute."

"Good luck."

Both girls spoke at the same time and let go of her hands, satisfied. Meiyun felt her face tingle and knew she was blushing.

"Hey!" One of her friends called to Kaale. "You take care of our Mei, you understand?"

Kaale turned towards them and simply bowed. Her friend nodded.

"Good. Bye Mei!" Her friend said.

"Byebye! Hope to see you soon!" The other called as they ran into the closest hallway. Kaale made his way back to the airbenders side as she stared after her friends. After a minute, she let out a deep breath.

"I will never see them again, will I?" She asked softly.

"I do not know. You may yet be able to." He turned and continued through the courtyard. On the other side was the sky bison pen.

"Byebye…" Meiyun whispered to herself and followed Kaale through the large archway.

On the other side of the archway were many different sizes of sky bison, their large, imposing forms filling up most of the extremely large area's free space. According to the Air Nomad mythos, the large creatures were the very first airbenders. Even with their large size, the lumbering giants could leap into the air and soar through the sky. Each airbender, at one time, would pair him or herself with a bison. The bison they pair with would be that airbender's lifetime partner. With such a large partner, there was no distance too far or no height too high. Kaale stood before the small herd of creatures and stared. Meiyun caught up to him and smirked at the boy.

"Don't tell me you have a bison, too?"

Kaale blinked and peered at the airbender. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, you seem very knowledgeable about airbenders, our culture, our elders, and our temples. It certainly wouldn't surprise me. You'r not an airbender, too, are you?" At this point, she wouldn't have been surprised.

Kaale chuckled and shook his head. He was about to answer when Yuanli called out from the side.

"Finally! You two certainly took long enough." She walked up and swept her eyes over the pair. "I was worried you had already left. Have you finished with the archives?" She asked Meiyun.

"Yes. It is done." She replied.

"You are prepared to leave?"

Meiyun hesitated for a moment. "Y-yes. I am ready." Yuanli nodded and turned towards the small hard of bison.

"Give me a few moments and I will give you Iila, my bison."

Kaale blinked, clearly surprised. "Your bison?"

Yuanli nodded and set off into the herd. Kaale exchanged glances with Meiyun.

"We aren't using your bison?"

Meiyun felt her face fall. She knew it would come up, but it didn't make it any easier. She sighed and put her hands on the stone barrier in front of her. "I don't have a bison anymore. I chose Ono when I was a girl… she was a beautiful and strong partner. The best one could ever ask for."

Kaale was silent. He knew where this was going.

"I was twelve when she got sick. She didn't suffer very long, though. She died a week later. It was fast, from what Sister Iio told me. Ever since then…" She hesitated. "Ever since then, I couldn't try and befriend another. It was too painful. So, I decided then to become an archivist." She smiled guiltily at the young man beside her. "Archivists don't have to fly around too much, you know?"

Kaale nodded and returned his attention to the giant animals in front of him. A few quiet minutes later, Yuanli walked through a pair of large bison, followed by a somewhat smaller, but older one.

She approached Meiyun and Kaale and gestured to the large creature following her. "This is Iila, she may be small and old, like me… but she's fast. She will get you to where you need to go." She reached out and stroked the bison's nose. "Take care of them, won't you, my friend?" The bison huffed in response and sniffed at the old woman's hand.

"Are you sure about this, Yuanli?" Kaale asked, vaulting lightly over the stone barrier after Meiyun.

"Do not make me change my mind, Kaale. You owe me that much." She turned to him and smiled. "Or would you prefer that I blackmail you into it?"

Kaale held up his hands and laughed nervously. "Very well, I will accept." He glanced at Meiyun with an expression that seemed to say 'women can be dangerous when they want to be'.

Yuanli took a step forward and clasped Kaale hands in hers, causing his expression to become serious. The two stood still for a long moment, looking at each other's face silently. Meiyun looked from Yuanli to Kaale, and back to Meiyun, feeling her cheeks warm again. She suddenly felt very uncomfortable and tried to shrink back into the Iila's grey fur. After what seemed like a longer time than it was, the two released each other's hands and looked awkwardly at each other.

"Well…" Kaale began, gesturing to the harness on top of Iila. "The sooner we go the sooner we get to the Southern Air Temple." He stepped towards the bison, but stopped when Yuanli put her hand to the side of his face.

"Take care of yourself…" She said softly. Kaale swallowed and nodded slowly, a suddenly afraid look creeping up in his face. "I mean it. Thank you."

Kaale reached up and, after hesitating, ran his thumb down the old woman's cheek. "Yea… you too, Li." He whispered. Meiyun felt her breath hitch in her throat as the thought occurred to her. They knew they would never see each other again. They both knew enough about what would happen to understand that this would be the last time they could say anything to each other. She didn't know their circumstances, but she knew enough not to interfere. With a smooth jump, she reached the harness secured around Iila. She must be, Meiyun thought as and looked at the old bison's grey fur, giving us her bison because she knows help may not arrive in time. Pushing down the growing feeling of apprehension, she waited patiently for Kaale to board Iila. After a few moments, she head Kaale mutter a goodbye and climbed the large animal. He settled into the harness and heaved a quiet sigh.

Meiyun slid herself to the front of the harness and grabbed the leather straps attached to the bison's horns. She leaned over and caught Yuanli's eye.

"Goodbye Sister… We will meet again." The old nun said with a smile. The younger airbender bowed as best she could while sitting on the bison. Yuanli returned the bow and gave a small wave.

"Alright, Iila, let's go! To the Southern Air Temple!" Meiyun called and with soft rumble, the bison leapt into the air, taking flight.

As they left the pen into the clear blue sky, Meiyun looked back once more to wave goodbye to her airbending master. However, Yuanli had already retreated back into the growing shadow of the temple.

**xxxxxxXxXxXxXxXxxxxxx**

****Chapter two down!

Aiya... I have been sitting at the computer soooo much my neck feels like its not there. *Bwahaha*

Aaaaanyway... Peace! Zai Jian!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Nickelodeon, as well as other parties own it. I don't any money from what I write. I do other things to make money... don't ask. I just write for fun. The cake is a lie.

**Doppelganger: The Hundred Year War**

**Genocide of the Air Nomads saga**

**Chapter 3**

**xxxxxxXxXxXxXxXxxxxxx**

Even in shallow waters, the churning, groaning, and creaking sounds of the _Lady of Fire _sent waves of unease through General Kozlon. He never did like being aboard ships. If it wasn't the sounds that got to him, it was most assuredly the constant rocking of the ship that made him irritable. As a young soldier, all he could do was stomach it and perform his duty. Most of the time, his abhorrence of being on the water would be ignored by his superiors. This would usually result in the younger man becoming ill right there on the deck.

As he became older, the weakness to the sea never really faded. That was the biggest reason Kozlon had opted to stay away from the navy and stick with the army. Some operations, though, gave no other option than to put him right back where he hated. In the cold, loud, and crowded iron shell of a warship.

Still, standing on the bridge of the ship helped a little. There were less people to deal with in the larger, open-air room. Aside from the captain, who frequented the bridge, the only other people that were ever in the room were a few crewmen, General Oron, and Sukal.

Kozlon felt his forehead crease.

Sukal… Even after accepting the man in his detachment two weeks ago, he still had no idea who he was, or why he was even accompanying them. Sayuka, Fire Lord Sozin's adviser and commander in chief of the assault forces, had bade Kozlon and Oron to accept Sukal into the detachment. But, even after two weeks of his presence, the man had barely said a handful of words. He simply accepted orders from the general with a silent stare and a nod. And if that wasn't enough to set off an alarm in Kozlon's mind, then the fact that Sukal hadn't left him alone in those two weeks simply made things worse.

Of course, that had given his the opportunity to observe the younger man. And if there was one thing Kozlon excelled at, it was observation. For one, Sukal had definitely not been born in the Fire Nation. His darker complexion suggested the Water Tribe or Earth Kingdom. Kozlon felt himself leaning more towards the Southern Water Tribe, from the shades of grey in the man's eyes. After making that initial observation, Kozlon had considered bringing the subject up with General Oron. The idea, however, died in his mind when he decided it would be more prudent to see how things developed. Something about Sukal gave the general the idea that it would be better to wait.

"Kozlon!" He heard a voice coming from behind him. The familiar, deep voice of his friend and fellow soldier, General Oron. The older man entered the bridge and walked up to Kozlon, standing beside him. "The preparations for the assault are complete. The majority of the soldiers have disembarked and are standing by. The materials you requested are also ready. We await only the comet to begin the operation."

Kozlon looked out of the corner of his eyes to Sukal, who was standing quietly in a corner of the bridge.

"If it will come at all…" He said, a muscle in his jaw clenching.

"Even after confirming it the archives, you still aren't convinced, are you?" Oron smiled, looking out of the opening in front of them. In front of the flagship, the _Lady of Fire_, was the dark silhouette of a mountain in the silent early morning darkness. A mountain that looked like any other. However, as everyone present knew, this was not just any mountain. At the top of the mountain was the Southern Air Temple. Their target.

In the Fire Nation, not many people know how large the mountain actually is. There is documentation of it, of course. But the actual height varies where it is documented. Now that he was here, though…

"Well…" He began. "If it doesn't come, we have a very long climb ahead of us."

Oron chuckled. "I think Li and Aizo got the lucky end of the deal. At least they don't have to climb a mountain."

"Oh, yes. They just have to climb a sheer cliff." Kozlon shot back with a sardonic smile. "Unless they figure out how to go at it from above. Be that as it may, we definitely got the short stick."

"With you, my friend, I wouldn't have it any other way." Oron slapped Kozlon's back with a sharp smack. Even at eighty years old, the man still commanded great strength. "By the way…" He cleared his throat.

Kozlon eyed the older man, his eye brow raised. "By the way…?"

"Are you sure you do not want to lead the assault on the temple?"

Kozlon returned his gaze to the mountain in front of him. "No. I am sure." He said stiffly. "If the comet will indeed make firebenders more powerful, then I do not belong there. I want you to lead the attack because you are one of the most powerful firebenders I know of. I cannot trust this task to just anybody. I know we will succeed if you lead our men."

Oron seemed to think about that for a moment. "But it was your plan. Your tactics." He said thoughtfully. "It seems… unbecoming of me to take credit for your work."

Kozlon sighed and turned to face his friend. "I am no firebender, Oron. I do not belong there. Besides…" He glanced at Sukal, still standing in the same spot in the corner. "I just cannot find it in me to acquiesce to this slaughter. I will not disobey my orders. But, it does not mean I have to be there." The two men were silent for a long while. Finally Oron heaved a great sigh.

"So, instead, you wish for me to dirty my hands in the name of the Fire Lord, is it?" He barked a laugh, a hollow, humorless laugh. "I don't blame you. It is indeed a dirty business. But we must do it nonetheless. If I were in your position, I must admit I would do the same and sit this one out." He turned around and leaned against the metal wall, facing Kozlon. "If I may ask, though… how did you come up with this idea to attack the temple?"

Kozlon returned the older man's gaze, smiled tightly. "Many hours of studying about the Air Nomads and their temples gave me ideas I needed to start on the puzzle. The information that came from the traitor gave me the other half to complete it."

"Ahh… the traitor. I heard about him, but didn't get any definite information." Oron nodded, his hand rubbing his cheek thoughtfully. "He was also from the Southern Air Temple, wasn't he?"

"He was. He gave vital information needed to know how to successfully navigate the mountain. The rest came to me from my previous studied of the bending arts."

Oron raised an eyebrow. "You studied the bending arts? Even though you cannot firebend? What brought that on?"

Kozlon pursed his lips tightly. Many people asked him that before. But no one really ever appreciated his findings. "The fact that I could not firebend gave me much more time to devote to varied disciplines. You could call my education very eclectic. As part of my self-driven desire to learn a varied set of skills and knowledge, I naturally set time aside to study the different bending arts." He held up four fingers. "Firebending, waterbending, earthbending, and airbending."

Oron cocked his head to the side, interested in what the other man had learned. "And what did you find?"

"I learned that each bending style, while is spiritual in nature, and is reliant on different seasons of the year as well as the environment. Benders, by their very nature, follow patterns just like the environments and seasons. Because each bending style follows patterns, they can be predicted and beaten." Kozlon said all this quietly, as to avoid the few crewmen in the bridge from overhearing. If there was one thing he didn't need, it was someone taking his words the wrong way.

Oron, for his part, had an inkling as to what his comrade was saying. "By that you mean…?"

"I mean, every form of bending is flawed in some way." Kozlon said sternly, his back straight. "Additionally, there are other aspects of the bending styles I can theorize that have yet to be utilized."

"I can understand what you mean by being flawed…" Oron said slowly. "But what do you mean by other aspects?"

Kozlon thought for a long moment, casting a cautious glace around the bridge. Aside from him and Oron, a few crew members at their stations, and Sukal in his corner, no one was around to eavesdrop. "Keep in mind, this is only speculation on my part. I myself am not a bender, so I have no way of putting my theories into practice. However, what I mean to say is, from my research, there are aspects of the bending arts that have yet to be used." He held up a finger. "Take earthbending for example. What is earth?

Oron sighed and ran his hand through his white hair. "Earth is rock and minerals."

"Precisely. Rock and minerals. What say we take the minerals in the earth and process them into refined substances. What do we have then?"

"You are referring to smithing?" Oron clarified, narrowing his eyes. "Making materials, swords and tools, out of refined minerals found in the earth?"

Kozlon nodded. "I am. Look at this ship. In all its majesty and refined glory…" He emphasized sardonically. "It is but refined and processed earth, formed into this shape and function."

Oron frowned, apparently not liking where he was going with this. "Are you inferring that the earthbenders can… bend _metal_?"

"It is but a theory." Kozlon shook his head. "I do not believe they can. If the earth benders could bend metal, then we would have witnessed it. I am convinced, however, that they can bend the harder substances found in the earth. To what end, though, I know not."

"And the other elements?" Oron crossed his arms across his broad chest, clearly annoyed at Kozlon's theories, but interested nonetheless.

"I took some time looking at waterbending, as well. " Kozlon continued. "Did you know most of the world is made up of water? An interesting fact is that water can be found anywhere, even in places one never could think to look."

"Such as?"

"Trees, flowers, the earth, the air..." He shot a glance at the older man. "The human body…" He felt Oron's shock beside him; his body language made it clear enough. "Did you know the human body is made up of mostly water? Interesting fact, is it not? I wonder if the waterbenders are aware of that…"

Oron was very quiet for a long minute. The two men stared out at the dark mountain in silence. Kozlon knew it was not a pleasant thought, but it was true nonetheless. He could only hope that Oron was smart enough to take it seriously.

"And what about fire?' He heard the older man say beside him. Kozlon thought for a moment. Fire had certainly taken him some time to theorize. He had studied it the most since he was young. Many people had warned him off the topic, since he could not even firebend. But he had taken their warnings as cause to pursue it even more fervently.

"What is fire?" He said quietly. "Fire is energy. Fire is power. What are other sources of energy and power?"

"Sources of energy and power… if you are speaking figuratively, I would think that other sources would be food and water… but that of course is ridiculous. Foodbenders… " He snorted a soft laugh. "The very idea… but no. What you are referring to is…" He narrowed his eyes to Kozlon. "Lightning… is it not? Lightning strikes and creates fire."

Kozlon nodded. "Yes. Lightning. Again, I have never put it into practice. It is only just a theory. But, again… perhaps it is possible."

"I see." Oron said, nodding slowly. "I myself have also never seen that. But since you put it that way, perhaps it is possible." The old man cracked a smile. "Lightning, huh? Maybe if this comet actually does come, we can put your theory into practice."

Kozlon smirked and shrugged. "I would prefer you practice in a non-combat situation… but whatever you wish." He suddenly became serious. "Keep what I said between us, my friend. Not everyone in the army appreciates my theories."

Oron put his hand on Kozlon's shoulder. "Of course. It is between us. Maybe we can discuss your theories in detail after the campaign."

Kozlon straightened and cleared his throat. "Yes. After the campaign…" He said. "I hear your son has graduated the academy along with my daughter. I hear he is a talented firebender. Will he join the army?"

Oron shrugged. "Probably. I will not press the issue. But Koron has always been a smart lad. I am sure whatever he will choose will be the best for him. What about your Aya?"

Kozlon chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment. It was true he spent a lot of time away from home, and now that he thought about it, he didn't really know what his daughter had planned to do after leaving the academy. She was a good firebender, as far as he heard. She would have a good career in the army. But, from what he could tell, she had never expressed much interest in the military.

"I do not know…" He said with a heavy sigh. "I am afraid I do not know her goals. Quite a father I turned out to be, huh?"

"Don't say that, my friend." Oron smiled. "Aya knows you love her. Koron himself has told me on numerous occasions that she cares deeply for you. I am sure she will make you proud."

"That has never been one of my worries." Kozlon said softly.

He never got the chance to elaborate, as at the moment Sukal stepped towards the pair silently.

"The comet arrives." He said, his eyes scanning the dark sky outside the ship. Kozlon and Oron exchanged glances, and followed the younger man's gaze to the western horizon.

Slowly, but surely, there was a soft glow peeking over the top of the sea. The glow, at first glance, seemed to be the sun. But, Kozlon quickly discarded that thought as he reminded himself that the sun would rise on the other side of the mountain. The glow grew brighter as it took shape. He couldn't really tell what exactly it was; but it was painfully obvious. Part of him wanted the comet to be a figment of Sayuka and the Fire Lord's imagination. Part of him wanted to turn the fleet around and go back home. Part of him wanted to believe that none of what was about to pass had to happen.

He felt Oron inhale sharply beside him. His bearing seemed to grow hot and powerful all at once. He didn't even need to ask the older man. The comet had indeed brought power.

"We will commence the attack." Sukal said, casting his eyes over the two generals, his expression neutral.

Kozlon nodded and faced Oron. "General Oron. I trust you to lead the assault on the Southern Air Temple. Follow the plan, and the mountain will be ours well before the comet leaves."

"Don't worry, my friend." Oron said with a confident smile, his eyes reflecting all of the power he was assuredly feeling. "I will not fail the Fire Lord." He held out a hand to Kozlon.

He reached out and clasped the older man's hand. The pair stood there for a moment, silently. Then, Oron left the bridge. Kozlon looked outside into the soft orange light coming from the western sky. He heard Sukal step back to his corner silently, and felt himself scowl. It was a dirty business, this war. The sooner it was over and done with, the sooner he and Oron could return to their families.

Something in the back of his head tugged at his attention. He didn't quite know what it was. He didn't know why he felt something was odd. But, his sense was never wrong.

The war had started.

But, somewhere deep down, Kozlon knew the war would not end the way the Fire Lord nor Sayuka would expect.

**xxxxxxXxXxXxXxXxxxxxx**

_He was running. Running through narrow streets and back alleys. Running as fast as his legs could carry him. What was he running from? The thought flew past his mind like a gust of wind on the sea. He didn't care who he was running from, he just knew he had to run. The light from the sky had all but disappeared, replaced by flickering firelight scattered across the walls surrounding him. With the fall of sunlight came the rise of shadows. Each new shadow that jumped out caused him to slash out with his sword. The shadows would let the blade pass right through them, and continue to glare at him as he ran further into the darkening city._

_He felt his heart pound painfully as he stopped to catch his breath. Something about this seemed familiar to him, he thought, looking around. The surroundings… the feeling of being followed… the thrill of the chase…_

_The air around him shuddered as he realized it._

_The chase… He was being chased. And he loved the thrill it brought him. He thrived on the feeling of being the hunted, rather than the hunter. And this particular hunter was more than willing to play the part._

_The sound was the first thing he noticed. The air above him cracked with a sharp sound. Acting on pure reflex, he felt himself slide to the side as the ground he was just left exploded in a plume of dust and gravel. He rolled on the ground and righted himself in a flash. The hunter leapt from the roof of the building to another, causing the air to crack again. He jumped again, dodging the attack easily._

_Drawing the sword from his waist, he felt his lips curl into a feral grin. He had missed this feeling; the feeling of being hated… the feeling of not knowing what moment was to be the last. There was nothing like it. _

_Nothing in the world._

_Jumping out of the way of another attack, he planted his feel against the wall beside him, and pushed off. He grabbed the tough, stone awning of the squat building above him and, with a strong pull, vaulted onto the roof. He whirled around to face his hunter. The look of frustrated surprise on its face sent a shiver of excitement though him._

_The hunter and the prey stared at each other for a long moment, waiting for the other to move. When they did, they moved at the same time. With another crack filling the air, the hunter leapt into the sky. He felt himself push off from the edge of the building, and flew directly at his opponent. As he connected with his adversary, his mind fogged and his vision grew dark. He knew, somewhere in the back of his mind, that he was now waking up._

The first thing Kaale noticed, as his consciousness flooded up around him, was the wind. The cool, slightly damp air whistled around him, tickling his head through his short hair. Then he woke up enough to remember where he was when he had started his short rest.

His eyes snapped open in a flash. Out of reflex, he reached underneath him, feeling for solid ground, or anything that passed for solid ground. He felt the firm safety of the harness and breathed a sigh of relief. If anyone had ever asked him if he enjoyed careening through the air on the back of a gigantic animal, he would have said no. But, then again, no one ever asked him. Not to say the bison Iila wasn't a good animal… she was. There were just some things that could never change. For example… the fact that Kaale hated to fly.

The sky was dark and clear. Stars speckled the night sky sporadically, casting a soft illumination that went unnoticed next to the moon's cool blue light. Aside from a few grey wispy clouds above him, it was a crystal clear night. If he were a person who actually _liked _flying, he would say it was a perfect night for it.

But he wasn't.

So it wasn't.

Grunting uncomfortably, he straightened himself, stretching the muscles in his neck. He found himself idly wondering how long he had been resting. Judging from the pops that emanated from his neck, it must have been at least a few hours. When he dreamed, the time seemed to pass instantly.

When he dreamed…

He had dreamed again. It was not like he never dreamed; he did. But, what made him different from people he overheard talking about dreams, was that he always remembered everything he dreamed. Not only that, but he felt like he was fully aware while he was dreaming. He felt as though, if he willed it enough, he could command his body to move inside the dream. He never could, of course. But it was an unnerving feeling all the same.

It was especially distracting because every dream he ever had was from his memories. Many people dream about their past, their fears, and their desires. Not him. Every dream he ever had, he had experienced before. The most maddening part was the fact that every time he dreamt, he felt like he could change what had happened by trying hard enough. Some of the memories he relived were good. He didn't wish to try and change any of those.

But the horrible memories…

He suppressed a shudder looked around for his companion.

He didn't have to look far. Meiyun was seated at the front of the harness, grasping the soft leather Iila's reigns. She had craned her neck around to look at Kaale. Her blue airbending master tattoos shone brightly in the moonlight. For a moment, neither person said anything. Finally, Meiyun broke the silence.

"Good morning, Kaale." She said. "I was afraid you were going to sleep all night. We will get to the temple soon, I think."

Kaale slid up a respectable distance away from her, but close enough to hold a conversation. "My apologies. I did not mean to sleep so long." He said.

Meiyun shook her head. "It's alright. You looked like you needed it. And after I slept all day yesterday, I think you earned it."

Kaale nodded in agreement. The girl had, in the first night of their trip, fallen right into a deep sleep. At first, Kaale had been worried. But considering what had been pushed on the poor girl earlier, she probably was just exhausted. Kaale had let her sleep for the entire night, ignoring his distaste at flying Iila enough to point the large creature in the right direction and let her fly herself.

At dawn, Meiyun had awoken hungry. They landed for a while, using the opportunity to eat and let their bison rest. They spent the rest of the day flying in relative silence. It was the silence that surprised Kaale the most. Back at the Western Air Temple, Meiyun had expressed her frustration at what was happening by flinging her books all around the archives. He was sure the girl would be throwing questions at him left and right. But, to her credit, she was keeping quiet. Perhaps, Kaale thought, she was just thinking about the temple she had to leave behind.

The second night, Kaale had rested. He had only intended to take a short nap and wake up in an hour or so. What he hadn't intended to do was just the opposite. He had slept until almost dawn. Silently kicking himself for letting down any kind of guard, he shifted his glance to the young airbender beside him. He was sure this girl was just as big of a victim as anybody else. But as years of experience had taught him, he couldn't really lower his guard to just anybody.

"So…" Meiyun started, casting a wary glance at Kaale.

"So…" He replied in the same tone.

The two fell silent again, not really knowing where to go from there. Kaale had never really been a talker. But the girl deserved at least _some _answers. And unless he started it, she probably wasn't going to ask anything.

Taking a deep breath, he stroked Iila's head gently. "Yuanli did us a great service, giving us Iila." He said.

Meiyun blinked at him a few times, and nodded slowly, a shadow falling over her face. "Yes…" She said quietly.

"I was hesitant at first…" He continued. "Iila looks quite old and small… but she is still spry." He hastily added as a loud grunt came from below them. "We should be able to make it to the Southern-"

"Yuanli is special to you, isn't she?"

The question came out so quietly that, if Kaale hadn't actually seen the girl say it, he wouldn't have actually heard it clearly. Kaale stopped talking and stared back at the airbender for a long moment, and nodded.

"Yes. She and I are old friends. There are not a lot of people in this world I can trust. She is one of the few." He said somberly.

"I… see…" Meiyun said, looking back into the dark sky in front of her. "In that case… I think you two will meet again." She smiled. "She is lucky to have you."

Kaale blinked a few times in confusion. Surely she didn't think that…

"Oh…." He drowned out and barked a short, loud laugh. "No, no, no. It is not like that." He said, shaking his head. "She and I… we have more of a parent-child relationship." He shrugged. "Nothing more." Meiyun stared straight ahead. Kaale couldn't be sure in the blue light from the moon, but he was sure she was blushing. He laughed again, softer this time. "But you are right," He said, after taking a deep breath. "We will meet again; just like you will meet your friends at the temple again. Do not worry, alright?"

Meiyun smiled softly and brushed a strand of dark hair that had gotten in her eyes. "I know. This has been a lot to think about, but I think it will work out." She peered at Kaale out of the corner of her eye. "It will, right?"

Kaale sighed softly and shook his head. "I hope so… This is just a surprise to me as it is to you. When Yuanli called for me, I had no idea why. I hadn't seen her in a very long time. I assumed she just wanted me to visit." He hadn't lied before; he really had intended to visit. He just didn't really have a good opportunity until he was called.

"So the news about the Avatar and the Fire Nation was new to you?" She asked.

"Yes. I knew that the Avatar is an airbender from the Southern Air Temple. But I do not know anything else. As for the Fire Nation…" He sighed and brushed his hand through his hair. "I had my suspicions. I think a lot of people did."

Meiyun turned her head to the side, confusion written all over her face. "What do you mean, a lot of people?"

"Well, a long time ago, the Fire Lord had occupied areas of the Earth Kingdom. When that happened, the then Avatar Roku interfered and stopped him. When the Avatar died twelve years ago… it just meant that the Fire Lord was free to continue his occupations. He did… albeit slowly. Many people think he was just waiting for the right opportunity to launch a larger strike." He folded his hands together tightly in thought. "I just did not think he would do something so grandiose as to attack three areas at once. There must be a reason he would be willing to split his forces like that."

"Maybe he is hoping we would also split our people between the temples, and make it easier for him to attack?"

Kaale shook his head. "No… that's not it…" He said.

The two fell silent for a few long minutes before Meiyun spoke again.

"Where are you from?" She asked. Kaale straightened and choked a laugh.

"Why do you wish to know?"

"If we are going to travel together. Wouldn't you rather know about the person you are travelling with? Come on, we can make in a trading game. I ask… you ask… and on it goes." She said, casting a playful glare at Kaale. "Besides… I think you owe me some questions and answers, yes?"

Oh, so that was how it was going to be. Well fine, he could definitely play it her way. Kaale smirked and held out his hands. "Very well. I am originally from the Earth Kingdom. You know how there are many island chains to the south of the main continent? I am from a small village along those islands."

Meiyun turned her head to look carefully at him. "You are an earthbender?"

Kaale stared right back at the girl. "I was born with no bending ability whatsoever." He said, willing his face to stay as neutral as possible. She cast her gaze back out into the dark sky.

"Oh…"

"And you?" Kaale asked. "Where are you from?"

The airbender snorted softly. "The Western Air Temple, obviously. I was born there, travelled around the different temples during my training, and returned to live there." She smiled. "Alright. My turn again. You said you travelled around the different nations before. Have you met waterbenders? Earthbenders? Firebenders?" Her smile faded slightly as she said the last word.

"Yes. I lived for a time in the Earth Kingdom, and met quite a few Earthbenders. The same with the Northern Water Tribe, and the Fire Nation."

Meiyun's shoulders dropped slightly. "I never have. I only lived in the temples all my life. I don't know what other people are like..." She went silent for a few moments, and then shook her head. "Anyway… how old are you?"

Kaale felt his eyebrow rise by itself. "I thought it was a trade…" He said incredulously. The airbender seemed to shrink as she lowered her head, mumbling an apology. He waved his hand in front of him. "No matter, no matter. Ask away. I daresay you have earned your questions. I am twenty-two, by the way." He said.

The girl's frame filled out again as she straightened herself. "Oh… I see." She said. "I… have another question."

"Ask whatever you wish." Kaale said. He didn't mind the girl asking her questions. If it made her more comfortable, then he was willing to help.

"Why… did Sister Yuanli call for you? I mean, why did she tell _you_ about the Avatar and the Fire Nation? Can you help us?" She asked, turning her face too look right into Kaale's eyes.

He looked back at her. She was young, and had a nervous air about her. She was scared. She was a girl who had never had anything like this threatening her before. He was sure that, even now, she didn't really believe it was going to happen. But he did. Yuanli had given him her explanation, and it was all he needed. He knew exactly why she had called for him. He knew exactly what he _could _do. He knew exactly what he _had_ to do.

He also knew what was going to happen now that things were in motion.

But could he tell this girl?

Could she handle it?

"I do not know…" He simple said, shaking his head. "I will do what I can. I owe Yuanli that much. She helped me a lot, more than many people in my life. If I can help, then I will give my life to help. But… I do not know."

Meiyun cast her eyes back down to the sky passing below Iila. "I see…" She said, almost too softly for Kaale to hear. He opened his mouth to say something to her, but was interrupted when she straightened suddenly. "There is the temple." She pointed in front of her. Kaale looked where she pointed, and saw the peak of a mountain jutting up from the earth. "It is right at the top of that mountain."

The peak was easily visible in the growing light of the dawn sun. It glowed an orange hue that shimmered in the morning light. As they steadily flew towards it, Kaale sighed to himself. It was sights like this, the mountain glowing in the orange morning sun like a large gem in the earth that made flying bearable to him. He craned his neck to catch a glimpse of the rising sun.

What he saw made his blood run cold.

The sun was not rising.

The sun rose from the east…

The light he saw was coming from the west…

In the west, out of the horizon, a ball of fire was rising from the sea. The sphere rose seemingly from behind the water in the distance and slowly climbed the sky.

Kaale knew what it was at once.

"No…" He whispered. "It cannot be…" His whole body was numb in shock. He desperately ran through numbers and dates in his memory, trying to find out what the date was. He distantly heard Meiyun say something, but could not make it out. If it was what he thought it was…

He shook his head roughly. No… of course it was. It was the Great Comet. It had to be. Of course! That was the connection! That is why the Fire Lord was splitting his forces into three groups. He was going to use the power of the comet to-

"Kaale!" His thoughts were interrupted as he heard the airbender scream his name. She pointed to the mountain again. Kaale snapped his neck back towards the mountain-

And felt his stomach churn in fear.

The mountain was on fire.

The Fire Nation had made their move.

They had started their war.

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Peace!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Nickelodeon, as well as other parties own it. I don't any money from what I write. I do other things to make money... don't ask. I just write for fun. The cake is a lie.

A/N: Thanks for my first review! Much appreciated! ^_^ It was brought up that if the political aspect of the genocide of the Air Nomad would be gone into detail. Actually, I had planned on going into it a little, but it was not going to be the main focus of the story. It will definitely be a large part in the beginning, though. The main reason I wrote a Fire Nation general as a main character of the story is for the main purpose of adding a political, anti-war element from the Fire Nation perspective in the story. He will be there for the main purpose of unraveling the entire conspiracy (yes... conspiracy) from the other side of the war. I'm not ENTIRELY sure if it will work out as well as I hope... but that's part of the great adventure, eh?

**Doppelganger: The Hundred Year War**

**Genocide of the Air Nomads saga**

**Chapter 4**

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Meiyun stared in blank shock at the sight of the mountain before her. Under normal circumstances, seeing the Southern Air Temple atop the mountain would be a sight to behold. Its blue spires shot out towards the sky, a deep contrast to the light brown and cream colors of the mountain and the temple itself. It was not as large as her own temple; but it was truly a unique sight, carved out of the top of the mountain itself. The few times she had come to this temple before, she had deeply enjoyed the time spent.

But now… with the mountain bathed in the soft orange light coming from behind them, and fire clearly and steadily rising up the base of the mountain, it filled her with dread. A deep, dark fear that coiled inside her stomach, making her hands numb as she gripped the soft, brown leather of Iila's reigns.

The Fire Nation had beaten them to the mountain, and was almost to the temple, from the looks of it. She couldn't quite tell, but the fire rising steadily up from the morning mists of the mountain were almost to the base of the temple. Were they going to set the entire temple on fire? She opened her mouth to speak, but found her throat can shut tightly on its own accord.

She distantly felt Kaale grip her shoulders, and saw his face force itself in front of her. The look in his eyes was a fierce, determined one. "Sister Meiyun!" He snapped, giving her a gentle shake. With a short exhale, she forced her attention back to the older boy. "You must listen, and you must listen carefully. The Fire Nation has beaten us to the temple. They will not take long to overrun the entire mountain."

His voice, while understandable, was confusing to Meiyun. How had they done this? Didn't the elders say it would take them longer to reach the temple? Didn't the elders say that the temple was unreachable? Didn't the elders say-

"Meiyun!" Kaale called again, grabbing her face gently between his hands. "We must leave!"

That gave her cause to speak. Forcing her throat to open, she sucked in a short breath. "Leave?" She voiced. "But what about the temple? We can't just leave! What will happen to them?" Kaale's mouth formed a tight line. He was clearly unwilling to say anything about that. Meiyun knew that they could not do much of anything; they were only two people. But, even two people could be enough, surely! "We must go down and help them!"

Kaale shook his head and pointed behind her. "No. Look at that." Meiyun looked behind her to see the source of the soft orange light filling the sky. Her breath hitched in her throat, causing it to shut tightly again. She thought it was the sun at first, but after getting a good look at it, she knew at once that it was not the sun. "That is The Great Comet. It comes to our sky every one hundred years. When it does, its heat brings firebenders great power. Right now, the firebenders attacking the Southern Air Temple have more power than ever before." His voice came out soft, and serious.

Meiyun felt the ball of fear in her stomach unwind into a shivering feeling of despair. The Great Comet… distantly, in the back of her mind, she remembered reading about this before. She knew it was true.

"What about my home?" She whispered bleakly. "What about my friends? What about Yuanli?" Kaale was silent beside her for a long moment, and then he placed his hand gently on her shoulder.

"There is nothing we can do now except hope they can hold out." He said, his voice soft. "The Southern Air Temple will be taken in a matter of minutes. Maybe an hour, at the longest. I do not know for sure. But there is little we can do." He shifted his seat back to look towards the temple. "I know Yuanli told us to help here but…"

Meiyun turned around and gripped Iila's reigns again. "What do we do?" She asked, looking at Kaale. She desperately wanted to help. But she also knew that there was little she could do herself. Even if she happened to be a fully-recognized airbending master with her own self-created techniques, she knew there was little she could do.

She felt Kaale's intense stare piercing through her as she looked back. She knew that he could feel her fear. She knew that there was nothing she herself could do. But what about him? Could he help in some way? Yuanli had called him, didn't she? She knew he could help in some way, and what was why she had asked him to help. She gripped the reigns tightly in her hands. If Yuanli could trust him to help, then so could she.

"Can you help us?" She asked the older boy beside her. The skin around his eyes tightened as he stared at her. "Please… we _must _help them. Is there anything we can do?"

Kaale sighed heavily and looked back at the temple slowly approaching. "Very well, Sister Meiyun. We will go and help them defend the temple."

Meiyun couldn't help the feeling of slight relief that flowed through her fingertips. Suppressing a sudden urge to smile, it was immediately dissolved when she felt a twinge of nervousness well up inside her. They were going directly into danger. Sure they were going to try and help, she thought, biting her lip softly, but that also meant that they were also going to go into battle. She had never _ever_ fought before… at least… never in a real fight. The closest she ever got was during her airbending training; and that wasn't even fighting.

"What do I do?" She asked, suddenly feeling very afraid. She did not want to go into the fight… but she also did not want to be left behind. Kaale seemed to understand that and furrowed his eyebrows.

"We will go down towards the temple, and help them. After we arrive, we will tell Iila to wait a safe distance away from the temple for us." He reached into his tunic and pulled out a small, bison-shaped figure. A bison whistle, Meiyun realized. "Yuanli gave this to me before we left." He explained, handing it to Meiyun. She took it and stuffed it into her robes. "Use it to call for Iila. After arriving, we will locate the elders of the temple, explain the situation as we know it, and offer our assistance." He took a deep breath. "Any questions?"

"What if we meet any firebenders?" Meiyun asked, her eye wide.

Kaale's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Just stay behind me. I will take care of any firebenders we meet."

Something about the way he had said those words sent a shiver crawling up Meiyun's spine. She knew fighting would happen. She knew that they must defend themselves. But still, she didn't like the way he had said that. But still, since she didn't have any better ideas…

"Alright…" Her voice came out softly, downcast. "J-just follow you?" Kaale nodded, placing his hand on the hilt of the sword strapped to his waist.

"Just follow me. That's it." He said equally as soft.

Soon, they had reached the mountain. Slowly circling in the hot air above the temple, Meiyun peered over the side of Iila. The temple itself was not on fire, but the mountain seemed to glow with the intensity of hot coals. It gave Meiyun the impression of a giant torch. "What are they doing? Did they really set the whole mountain on fire?" She asked.

Kaale looked down at the mountain beside her, and hissed gently between his teeth. "Not quite. They filled the mountainside with torches… but as to why… I do not know." He pointed towards the temple below. "Look at the fire there. See it? Appearing and disappearing? Those are Fire Nation soldiers. The fighting has already begun. From the look of it… it seems there is most of the fighting in the lower parts of the temple. But doesn't mean any soldiers are not finding other ways further up."

"So, what do we do?" Meiyun asked, suddenly very apprehensive.

"Take us down to the middle level of the temple." Kaale said, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. "It will be easiest for us to set down and it will be away from most of the fighting. Then quickly send Iila back out away from the temple. We will call her later."

Meiyun shifted her grip on the leather reigns softly, causing the old bison to float towards the temple below. "And what if we are not able to leave later?" She whispered to herself. Apparently, she didn't whisper quietly enough.

"Do not worry, Sister Meiyun." Kaale said, his voice taking on a steady, determined tone. "I will do what I can to help, and get you out of there safely." He locked eyes with her. "I promise you that. Alright?"

Meiyun didn't say anything for a long moment. She just stared at the older boy beside her, his light blue eyes looking gray in the orange light from the comet. He certainly sounded determined enough. She had noticed the odd tone in his voice that made her feel very nervous. But, at the same time, she could believe him. Nodding minutely, she eased Iila down into the stifling heat rising from the temple.

As they approached, it was clear from the loud shouts and noises that battle had indeed began. The heat was one thing, Meiyun thought as Iila sided up to one of the larger spires of the temple, but the feeling of dread and fear that assaulted her just made it worse. Was this really the best thing to do? She found herself doubting her decision to help as she felt Kaale's hand grab onto her arm.

"Now! Follow me!" He said tersely, and easily vaulted over the side of their bison.

Suddenly very afraid of being alone, Meiyun quickly followed Kaale over the side of Iila, grabbing her staff as she leapt. "Go Iila! Get away from the temple!" She called back towards the old bison as she leapt away. She creature groaned in understanding and rose again away into the sky. The hot wind whipped at her face as she fell through the sky towards the tall spire below her. In reality, the drop was all but maybe twenty meters, not at all difficult for an airbender to make easily. But the mounting feeling of apprehension and nervousness made it seem so much longer.

She saw Kaale, well ahead of her, land deftly on the angled awning of the spire and, pushing off with his legs, he kicked off towards another, smaller spire, and landed easily on the ground. That alone surprised Meiyun as she fell towards the ground, almost hitting the edge of the spire herself. The older boy was certainly skilled, she found herself thinking and she twisted her body, sending out a powerful current of air out around her. The current forced itself against the ground, cushioning her fall so that she landed safely on the ground of the temple.

Meiyun tightly held on to her staff as she looked around. They had successfully landed on one of the middle levels of the temple. From the shouting she heard, there seemed to be fighting on this level already. The area she and Kaale were in was open, and wide; clearly why Kaale wanted to land here. But, even to her untrained sense, it was not a place they wanted to linger. They had to get into a smaller area, quickly. Kaale dashed ahead towards one of the larger archways leading further into the temple. He waved his hand back to Meiyun, silently telling her to come closer to him.

"Listen carefully." He said as she ran up behind him. "The elders are most likely to be in the tallest spire with the children. We need to quickly and quietly make our way there."

"Do you know how to get there?" Asked Meiyun.

"It is that way… but…" Kaale's voice trailed off with a tight expression. Meiyun blinked and gripped her staff even more tightly.

"But?" She whispered. Kaale nodded and pushed his hand back behind him, a clear gesture for Meiyun to stay put.

"Quiet. They are coming." He said quietly. Meiyun shrunk back as silently as she could against the wall, trying to stay well out of sight but not quite succeeding. She soon could discern individual voices from the indistinct shouting throughout the temple.

"They should be around here somewhere; fan out." Came a deep voice from the hallway beyond. "The commander saw a bison come and go. It was likely dropping off."

"What if it was just picking up?" Another voice added. "Then there could be nothing."

"Shut up." Came a third voice. "You know the plan. Everywhere will be scoured for airbenders. They will all be killed. There is to be no mistake. Stay in formation."

Meiyun felt as though her body was dunked into a bath of ice. Somewhere deep down, she had hoped that this was still all a misunderstanding; that this could all be fixed. She didn't want there to be a war. She didn't want to fight. But, hearing that, she knew there was no mistake. She knew that there would be fighting. She knew there would be a war.

"Over here." The first voice called, very close now. "This room is open to the sky. Check it." A suddenly sick feeling coiled deep down in Meiyun's stomach as she realized the soldiers were going to find them. She reached out to Kaale to pull his back closer to her. To her surprise and fear, her fingers grabbed nothing as he slid forward.

The first soldier came into Meiyun's view from the archway. He was wearing the common armor of a Fire Nation soldier; deep red with lighter red trimming. It fell loose around his sturdy frame, allowing for easy movement. It was well-designed, even to her untrained eye. The soldier's eyes scanned the room, and immediately fell on Kaale and Meiyun. He opened his mouth to speak-

When the unmistakable sound of a sword being drawn came instead. Kaale stepped out in front of the soldier and slid his sword easily across the soldier's throat.

For as long as Meiyun would live, she would never forget the look of shock on the soldier's face as he reflexively reached up towards his neck. His eyebrows raised in surprise, and his legs trembled, about to collapse. Meiyun herself, never even expecting that, stood shock still, staring at the soldier. Kaale just… in the blink of an eye… killed the soldier. Even with the icy feeling of fear that filled her veins, she still could feel the sickness that threatened to uncoil in her stomach.

The soldiers behind the first were quicker to react than she was. Kaale, however, was even faster. In a swift movement, he slid in close to the quickly dying trooper and visibly braced himself. The two flanking soldiers stepped into a strong formation and trust their fists out in front of them. With a deafening roar, a bright orange and crimson torrent of flames filled the archway. Meiyun reflexively fell backwards to avoid the brunt of the attack.

Kaale disappeared from her sight as the twin columns of flamed filled most of the open-air room. The roar of fire filled her ears and she distantly felt herself shield her face with her hands, trying desperately to keep some of the blistering heat away. She had never seen firebending firsthand, but instinctively she knew that this was indeed far more powerful than normal. The power of The Great Comet had indeed brought great strength to firebenders.

How, she found herself thinking as she covered herself from the wave of heat that washed over her, could they fight against such overwhelming power?

Suddenly, she felt the heat die down, and she lowered her arms, scanning the room for Kaale. The entire room was scorched and blackened from the attack. The few plants and vines that had littered the room previously were all but charred and shriveled. Towards the back of the now-destroyed room, was the soldier Kaale had killed. His armor was black and rent and Meiyun found herself relieved that she could not see the man's face from where she was.

Kaale was nowhere to be found.

The two soldiers made their way into the room, keeping in their formation. One spied Meiyun in the corner. "Airbender here!" He called out.

"Secure her!" The other ordered. "Where is the other's body?"

Suddenly, the first soldier's body stirred and turned over. Relief flooded Meiyun as she saw Kaale quickly roll over and step into a crouch from below the soldier's corpse.

"Lieutenant!" The other soldier called, keeping his fist out in front of him. He made a motion to throw out another attack, but was stopped when Kaale slid forward and pushed a dagger he produced from his tunic into the soldier's neck. The soldier approaching Meiyun whirled around towards Kaale to attack, but received another knife in his chest with a quick throw from Kaale. The two soldiers fell at once and silence fell on the room.

Not stopping for a moment, Kaale rushed to retrieve his sword that had blown away in the fire blast, and return to Meiyun, picking up his two knives along the way. Meiyun, for what it was worth, tried her best to breathe normally. But, considering what had just happened, she was surprised to find that she could breathe at all. She felt Kaale grab her hand and pull her back to her feet.

"Are you alright?" She distantly heard his voice cut through the ringing in her ears. Her legs unsteadily buckled and she almost collapsed on the ground. Kaale held her up with a strong grasp. "Sister Meiyun!" He snapped, forcing her attention back to him. "Are you alright?"

Meiyun nodded shakily and scanned the room again. The three soldiers lay crumpled on the ground, very still and very dead. "You killed them…" She shuddered softly. Kaale's mouth tightened into a thin line and he nodded.

"Yes. I did. I killed them because they would have killed us if I did not. You heard them. Now come on. More are going to arrive if we do not hurry. Soldiers are already on this level of the temple." He gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "Just stay close to me, and you will be fine. Understand?"

Meiyun nodded and she looked over the boy. He was more or less unscathed. The only thing she found was a blacked section of his tunic, just above the elbow. "You're hurt." She said, an odd feeling forcing itself into her chest. Kaale shook his head and looked outside the archway.

"Do not worry. I am fine. Come, we must go. More are coming."

The pair stepped out into the hallway, only to come into view of an approaching column of soldiers. They shouted out in unison, and gave chase. Kaale swore vehemently, and grabbed Meiyun by the arm, forcing himself between her and the soldiers. Not wasting any time, he pushed her in the opposite direction of the soldiers.

"Go! Now!" Not looking back, Meiyun dashed through the hallway towards the direction that Kaale had pointed out. Not even ten meters away, a group of airbender monks rounded a corner, stopping at the sight of Meiyun, Kaale, and the approaching soldiers. Quickly understanding the situation, the four airbenders opened their formation to let Meiyun and Kaale pass.

"Fire!" Meiyun heard a call behind her, and covered her head with her arms reflexively. The now familiar roar and blistering heat washed over her, but dies away as soon as it had come. She peered back behind her to see the group of airbenders forcing the flames back with a powerful current of air. The fire filled the hallway, hit the opposing torrent of wind, and was diffused with a deafening sound. Meiyun was pulled to her feet by Kaale.

"Come on, they will keep the soldiers at bay. We must hurry!"

"We need to help them!" Meiyun cried, grabbing Kaale's arm to keep him from pulling her away. The airbenders kept up their wall of wind, but were quickly losing ground under the firebender's attack.

Kaale glared at her, his eyes sharp and piercing. He clasped his sword tightly. "Stay behind me!" He turned back to the airbenders. "When I say, make a clear path through the middle."

"Got it!" The eldest of the monks said, clearly straining under the constant barrage of fire.

Kaale stepped forward into a crouch, and tilted his head back towards Meiyun. "What will you do?" He asked, clearly expecting an answer.

"Stay behind you." Her voice came out brittle, unsure. She felt her fingers numbly gripping her wooden staff. Kaale locked eyes with her and nodded. He turned back to the airbenders.

"Now!"

With a joint yell, the monks all spun in unison, pushing a powerful funnel of air through the flames. Kaale dashed through the stifling heat, past the airbenders. Meiyun stayed right on his heels, desperate not to be left behind. In the blink of an eye, they reached the group of soldiers. Scattered from the surprisingly powerful counterattack, their formation was broken and loose.

Meiyun heard Kaale's sword being drawn from its sheath.

The first soldier in line never knew what hit him. Meiyun saw his body collapse silently out of the corner of her eyes. She didn't _want_ to see Kaale kill the soldiers… but she knew that if she didn't, somewhere deep down inside her, she wouldn't believe this was really happening.

Another soldier dropped before the cry went out to the rest.

"Reform!" The commander called, drawing his sword.

Kaale shifted his position between two soldiers deftly, drawing a knife from his tunic and slicing another firebender across his throat while at the same time deflecting an attack with his sword in his other hand. Meiyun reflexively spun in place, narrowly avoiding a sword that came down in a powerful swipe towards her. Keeping so close to Kaale also meant that she was in the thick of the fight. Being in the middle of the fight, however, also meant that if they decided to firebend, no one would last very long.

Firebend…

As she spun in place and angled her torso to avoid another attack, it occurred to her that the soldiers were in fact _not _firebending. Surely, she thought as she stepped out of the way of another sword; if they were so powerful with the comet, they would attack with fire instead of with swords this close. They had just attacked with fire before the monks had helped them break their formation… so why not now?

"I said _reform_!" The commander screamed to his soldiers. With Kaale in the middle of the soldiers, dropping them like spiderflies, and Meiyun doing her best to avoid any attacks that came her way, there was little to soldiers could do to make a proper military formation.

Suddenly, with a sick feeling that exploded in her chest, Meiyun's clumsiness sprang up. In all her thinking, she had fallen into the forms that had been drilled into her from a young age and taken a bad step. With a soft cry, she fell backwards and landed on a soldier's body. Everything around her seemed to slow down as she looked up and saw a firebender stand over her, raising his sword to attack.

Unable to breathe, unable to think, unable to move; all Meiyun could do was bring up her hands to cover her face.

"Nooooo!" She heard her own voice scream feebly.

The attack never came. After a long moment, she dropped her hands and looked around. The soldier who had been aiming his attack at her was on the ground, a knife jammed into his jugular. Kaale was a few meters away, just finishing off the commander with a swift movement of his sword. The body dropped and crumpled like the rest.

Meiyun stared at Kaale, who, after casting a final guarded look up and down the hallway, looked back at her. The look in his eyes was fierce and dangerous. His eyes pierced through Meiyun's, sending a shiver crawling up her spine. She wasn't sure if she would get used to this anytime soon.

She distantly felt the other monks approach from behind her.

"Thank you, for your help." The oldest said, bowing. His neatly trimmed beard was white and short. He cast a glance from Kaale then to Meiyun. "You are not from here, child. Why have you come?"

Meiyun opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted when Kaale whipped his sword around with a flourish, sending blood splattering across the wall and sheathing it neatly. "We came from the Western Air Temple at the request of the Council of Elders." He said, casting an unreadable but firm look at Meiyun. "Sister Meiyun is the archivist of the temple. We were charged with assisting the archivist here preserve what is needed, and help in any way possible. But that was before…" He gestured back down the hallway, indicating the soldiers.

The old monk nodded in understanding, making sure to glance down the hallway from time to time. "Then you need to see the elders as soon as possible." He said.

"Where can we find them?"

The monk pointed back where they came. "Monks Pasang and Tashi are organizing the defense of the temple on the upper levels. But Monk Gyatso is in the elder's chamber with the children. I do not know where the others are."

Kaale nodded and looked down at Meiyun, who was still on the ground. "Ready to move?" He said with no hint of questioning. Meiyun felt herself color in embarrassment and nod, pushing herself back to her feet.

"Will you all be alright?" Meiyun asked the monks. They all exchanged nervous smiled and shrugged in unison.

"We will be fine, Sister." The oldest said with confidence. "This is a large temple; it won't be taken that easily. You have to see the elders. Do not worry about us." With a quick bow, the monk led his charges further down the hallway.

Meiyun felt Kaale's presence at her side after the monks disappeared from sight. "We must go quickly." He said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Meiyun nodded slowly and sucked in a deep breath. She cast one more gaze across the hallway. The soldiers, cut and broken, lay still on the stone ground. There was blood pooling along the ground, gathering in dips in the stone and mortar. Her eyes fell on the splattering of blood Kaale had flung from his sword on the wall.

She had never really spent much time studying artwork, or particularly liked the subject. But, even as she looked at the blood on the wall, she couldn't tear her eyes away from it. The dark red shine stood out from the light brown matte of the wall like some kind of bizarre painting she had seen once in a book. The book, she found herself recalling randomly, was primarily about death and the spirit world.

Suppressing a shudder, she picked up her staff and gripped it tightly.

"Let's go."

The pair made their way towards the back of the temple, away from the bulk of the fighting. Along the way, they passed by airbenders running in all directions. There were monks running towards the fighting, away from the fighting, towards the edges of the temple; many were running aimlessly. In the bright orange light and stifling heat in the temple, it was hard to tell where everyone was really going. It reminded Meiyun vaguely of the atmosphere of the Western Air Temple before they had left; only much more aggravated and hurried.

The Western Air Temple…

The thought of her home made Meiyun falter slightly in her steps. If the Fire Nation had indeed gotten power from the comet in the sky… then was her home under the same siege as the Southern Air Temple was in now? Where her friends fighting and dying at the moment?

Casting her eyes across Kaale's back as he rounded a sharp corner, she cursed herself. She should have stayed home and helped her friends and Yuanli defend the temple. She knew there was not anything she could have even done back there. But, even so, she was upset at not even being given a choice in the matter. She was just pushed together with this man she didn't even know, and told to protect the knowledge of the Air Nomads. It was an important task… and she knew exactly _why_ she had to be the one to do it. It just didn't make it any easier.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice Kaale had stopped until she had run straight into his back.

"Wha-?" She started, but her voice died in her throat as she saw beyond Kaale into a small courtyard. Scattered around the stone ground were the burned and charred remains of-

"Airbenders…" Kaale whispered softly. He drew his sword and slowly stepped out into the open courtyard. "They have made it this far already…" He looked up and down the area, trying to see where the firebenders might have gone to. Meiyun stood shock still, looking at the scene before her. It was like nothing she had even seen before. There must have been a dozen bodies, from what she could see, scattered around the entire area. There was only one in the deep red of Fire Nation armor. The rest wore the orange and yellow robes of the Air Nomads. If it was not for the darkened colors of the robes, however, the bodies would have been all but unrecognizable.

Their skin, blackened and charred, smoked in the soft orange light. The smell of burning flesh and hair filled Meiyun's nose, causing her to instinctively step back and cover her face with her hands. She hadn't known anybody at this temple, not since she was a child. But nonetheless, the sight of her brothers of the temple was enough to send a sick feeling coursing through her body.

Her arms and legs numb, she fell to her knees and felt her stomach empty itself on the warm stone beneath her. Hot tears leaked out from behind her eyes. She couldn't see, she couldn't breathe, she couldn't think. All she could do was clench kneel on the ground, sobbing softly. All of this way too much for her. This death… this cruelty… this war… why was all this happening? Why had it started? For what purpose were her brothers and sisters dying?

She distantly felt herself lifted up off the ground. Kaale's blurred face appeared before her eyes, a soft yet fierce look masking anything else he might have been feeling. "Sister Meiyun!" He said harshly. "I need you to listen to me carefully. Can you do that?" His voice cut through her sobs, causing her to cough painfully. She felt herself nod, trying her best to listen. "This was an advanced infiltration group, but a strong one. Their goal was to sneak past the fighting to secure the back of the temple. They obviously knew enough about the area to push more soldiers down this end instead of where we came from. That means they are already close to the elder's chamber." He glanced around quickly. "They will work their way back to flank any fighting airbenders after securing it. We cannot stay here. We must go and help Gyatso and the children before they reach them."

The thought of children was enough to bring Meiyun back to full attention. She stopped her sobs and clenched her jaw tightly, swallowing against a dry, burned throat. All this death and destruction… all of it seemed too much.

"Why…?" Her quiet, trembling voice leaked out. "Why are they doing this?" Kaale's eyes searched hers carefully, as if thinking of the best way to explain.

He shook his head. "This is too much for you. Call Iila; you need to get away from this. I will do what I can and then meet with you soon."

A shiver went up Meiyun's back at his words. He was going to leave her alone. He was going to send her away… just like Yuanli and her sisters at her temple. He knew how useless she was and was going to go on without her. The thought ripped through her thoughts, making her whole body painfully numb.

"Give me the whistle." Kaale whispered impatiently, holding out his hand. Meiyun's eyes darted from his face, to his empty hand, to the scattered bodies of her airbender brothers, then back to his face. She opened her mouth to speak, but her words failed her. Reaching into her tunic, she retrieved the bison whistle, and held it out in front of her. She didn't want to leave, but she knew that she was next to useless compared to Kaale. He could fight, he could defend others, he was smart…

What was she? All Meiyun had was some clumsy airbending and a good memory… hardly useful in defending anyone.

But, even so, she didn't want to be left alone. Anything but that. She hated to be alone.

Shaking her head vigorously, Meiyun reached out wither other hand to grab Kaale's. As their hands connected, Meiyun felt a wave of vertigo and a flash of light in her mind. The light dimmed and slowly, her thinking became sluggish. She distantly felt her body fall to the ground and, the last thing she saw before her consciousness faded was the look of shock and tension on Kaale's face.

**xxxxxxXxXxXxXxXxxxxxx**

_"But that doesn't mean I am forced to do whatever it takes!" The girl yelled, her eyes wide, unsure. She stared straight at the young man before her, her hands wound tightly into balls at her sides. She was trembling with anger, nervousness, and fear._

_A young man stood before her, his arms crossed over his chest. "That is true. But, be that as it may, it is your duty. I understand that it goes against everything you have been raised to believe in. I also understand that it difficult. But, something like this, only you can do." His voice was steady, determined, familiar._

_In fact, this whole situation was familiar. The young man… the girl… everything was familiar… as if it was a dream of something long ago. A dream that was remembered often. A dream of something important. But, who was the dreamer? Who was having the dream? Why?_

_The girl sighed and held her arm with her other hand in a very feminine gesture. "I-I know… I know it is my duty." She let go of her arm, instead choose to nervously intertwine a few strands of long, black hair around her fingers. "Just… being the Avatar is so much responsibility…" She said. "How do I know what I do is right?"_

_The young man sighed and shook his head. "You don't… All you can do is believe in your own path." He let his hands drop and took a step toward the girl. "Listen to me, Avatar Yangchen…" His voice was stern and formal. "I cannot tell you what to do. It is not my place. All I can tell you is if you hesitate, if you are unsure of yourself, if you are not devoted enough to your cause… you will always regret your path." He held out his hand to Yangchen, causing her to step back reflexively._

_Her gaze lingered on his outstretched hand for a long moment. Her light blue eyes scanned his hand, then travelled up his arm to his chest, and finally rested on his face. His face was familiar, as if the dreamer had seen it before. She sucked in a slow, steady breath, and nodded._

_"Yes… You are right. You always are, it seems." She said dryly. Letting go of her hair, she grasped the man's hand softly. "I am the Avatar. It is my responsibility to follow my own path. Balance must be maintained for this world to stay peaceful." Her tone quickly became determined and hard. The young man nodded, smiling lightly._

_"Never forget that, Yangchen." He said. With a smile, he reached up and gently prodded his finger against Yangchen's forehead, right in the middle of her azure airbending master's tattoo. She laughed and batted his hand away playfully._

_The dream seemed to fade slowly. Everything seemed to blur together and become indistinct. The dreamer knew that consciousness was returning, and that the dream will end. As vision and sense faded, the dreamer heard the soft, yet stern voice of Yangchen, as if from far away._

_"Never hesitate. Be sure of yourself. If you don't, you will always have regrets in your life. Never forget that."_

**xxxxxxXxXxXxXxXxxxxxx**

Quickly, far more quickly that she was used to, Meiyun's consciousness flooded back to her. She opened her eyes, and inhaled a short, much-needed breath of air. Kaale was the first thing she saw as her eyes focus in the soft orange light of the temple. His eyes held a look of concern and nervous expectation.

"How long?" She found herself asking, her voice coming out husky.

"Only a few seconds." Kaale replied shortly. He looked away from her, casting a glance around the courtyard again. "Are you alright?" He asked, returning his attention to Meiyun. She swallowed against a very dry throat and nodded quickly, sitting up with Kaale's help.

"Yes… yes… I'm fine." She said, taking a deep breath. "I just…" She hesitated… not sure what to say. "I don't know what that was…"

Kaale's eyes hardened and shook his head. "I was stupid to allow you to come down here with me. Please… call Iila and wait for me from a safe place." The unmistakable sound of fire came echoing through one of the hallways branching off from the small courtyard. Meiyun flinched when a scream followed the deafening roar.

She could leave… she realized. She could just call Iila and leave the rest to Kaale. It would be easy. But… even as she gripped the whistle tightly in her hand, she heard a voice in the back of her head. It was a voice she had never heard before, but she instinctively knew who's it was.

_"Never hesitate. Be sure of yourself. If you don't, you will always have regrets in your life. Never forget that."_

It had been Avatar Yangchen she had seen in the dream. At least… it had seemed like a dream. But it hadn't been a normal dream. Not like how she normally dreamt. This dream had seemed… familiar. That was the only word that came to her mind. Familiar… as if… she had seen it before.

Or like a memory.

Meiyun shook her head.

Never hesitate. Be sure of yourself. Don't regret. Those words Avatar Yangchen had left her with.

She reached into her sleeve and touched her oakfern bracelet. Her family keepsake. Surely it had been Avatar Yangchen coming to her in a dream. She had told her what she needed to hear to do the right thing. All Meiyun needed to do was follow her own path and not hesitate.

Just like Yangchen.

Setting her jaw, Meiyun stood up and picked up her staff from the ground. She looked back at Kaale, a new determined look on her face. "No." She said, stuffing Iila's whistle back into her robe. "I will stay with you."

**xxxxxxXxXxXxXxXxxxxxx**

My neck hurts... =.=

Peace!


End file.
